Eve Muirhead’s Scottish rink ensured they will return from Beijing with a little extra in their luggage after displaying all their battling qualities to clinch bronze at the Women’s World Curling Championships.
On Saturday, Scotland had missed out on the chance to bid for a place in the final after losing 8-5 to Sweden in the Page 3v4 play-off.
But after Sweden then lost their semi-final to Russia, the two teams faced off again on the ice in the bronze medal match on Sunday.
But Muirhead and teammates Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams and Lauren Gray were able to turn the tables, winning 6-4 to win the bronze medal.
“We’re absolutely delighted and that was a really strong team performance. We really wanted that medal,” said Muirhead, who now completes the full set of World Championship medals after gold in 2013 and silver in 2010.
“It’s been a tough week, with a lot of ups and a lot of downs so to come away with a medal is really quite satisfying.”
Sweden had initially blanked the first event before taking the early advantage when skip Anna Hasselborg tapped back with her last stone to score two points after a measure for third.
The Scots then blanked the third and scored one in the fourth end when Muirhead drew her last stone inside three Swedish counters.
Another point in the fifth handed Sweden a 3-1 half-time lead but Scotland came out battling, levelling the score at 3-3 after Muirhead took out a Swedish stone with her own stone.
The umpire’s measure was called in action again in the seventh but it was not in Sweden’s favour as they only picked up a solitary shot rather than their preferred two.
After this Scotland exerted their authority, with Muirhead levelling the scores again at 4-4 in the eighth before a steal of one in the ninth put them ahead for the first time.
In the tenth end, after getting an early stone on the button, the Scots played guard after guard. Hasselborg’s attempted angle raise take-out with her last stone did not come off, giving Scotland another single steal and a 6-4 win.
Muirhead added: “That was a tough game, Anna and the girls have been playing great and getting our two in six was really key. The ninth end was the first time we’ve been up on them in the last two games, and we played a fantastic last end.
“We deserved something because we fought really hard all week. OK, it’s bronze and that’s not the colour you want.
“It takes a lot to come back and win bronze, it’s one of the toughest medals for a team to win. But we’d be too greedy if we thought we should have had more this week, because I think the two best teams (Russia and Canada) are in the final.”
Sportsbeat 2017