Two sports see Team GB action on Friday. Can Eve Muirhead win her curling semi-final to guarantee an upgrade of her rinks’ bronze medal from four years ago?
Two sports see Team GB action on Friday. Can Eve Muirhead win her curling semi-final to guarantee an upgrade of her rinks' bronze medal from four years ago? She competes with Vicki Adams, Lauren Gary and Anna Sloan at 8.05pm (11.05am UK time).
Memories of four years ago - when Team GB lost a last four match to Canada - are burned in Eve Muirhead’s mind ahead of her rink’s semi-final with Sweden.
“That was the worst loss of my career, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with in curling,” she said.
“Even though we won the bronze medal after that it took me a long time to get over it because, I felt, we were so close to winning that gold medal.
“I do believe you learn more about yourselves in these situations and become stronger for it. I think rebounding to win the bronze really showed our courage and professionalism.
“That bronze medal match is the hardest game you’ll play. You're coming in off a loss and you’ve still got the chance to be an Olympic medallist.
“I’ve played three Olympics now, that experience is in the bank. I know I’ve been there and I know what it will feel like.”
In contrast, Swedish skip Anna Hasselborg is making her Olympic debut here and she has history with Muirhead in recent months.
The Scot beat her to win bronze at last year’s World Championship and again to win the European title in December.
However, Hasselborg edged their encounter during the round-robin stages and is viewed as one of the sport’s rising stars.
It’s 16 years since Rhona Martin delivered the stone of destiny to win curling gold for Great Britain - a match an 11-year old Muirhead was allowed to stay up and watch in the early hours.
“We all know what Rhona did for the sport in 2002, she put it on the map and changed everything for the people that followed her,” added Muirhead.
“It’s not a burden, what she did led to the funding we receive and the facilities we get to train on. We may not be in this position if it wasn’t for her and, of course, we’d like to do our bit for the Olympians in the future.”
After Thursday’s seedings run Emily Sarsfield goes in her first knockout race in the women’s ski cross at 10am (1am).
The 34-year-old was 22nd fastest out of a 24-strong field, 5.14 seconds off top seed, Canada’s Marielle Thompson.
All competitors advance to the 1/8 finals with Sarsfield going in the sixth heat in the early hours of Friday alongside France's X-Games bronze medallist Alizee Baron and Canadian India Sherret, who are seeded sixth and 11th respectively.
"The important thing for me was making sure I had a smile on my face at the start and the finish,” she said.
“I ski better when I'm having fun. And also at the end of the day, you are risking your life here and you have to make sure you're having some enjoyment as well.
"The really fun part from me is when you are racing in the heats and going head to head so I'm looking forward to that on Friday." Sportsbeat 2018