Following the disappointment of narrowly missing out in the Mixed Doubles competition, Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat have been welcomed back into their regular teams who are ready to do all they can to ensure that every member of the British Curling squad returns home with a medal.
No-one is better placed to understand their disappointment than Eve Muirhead, the only player among the 10 who are in Beijing to have taken part in previous Winter Olympics, because she underwent the same experience when the Sochi 2014 bronze medallist skipped her team into the play-offs in Korea four years ago, only for them to finish fourth.
“I think it is a good thing for Jen to be able to get straight back into action,” said Muirhead.
“When I look back on PyeongChang and coming fourth, all I would have wanted to do was have another go at it and another shot at a medal and Jen has that opportunity, so I do think it’s good that it’s very quick after.
“It will be good just to keep the momentum going and keep battling.
“I think the next few days will be tough, but we’re in a great position as a team.”
What Dodds can count on is the full support of Muirhead, Vicky Wright, Hailey Duff and Milli Smith as she prepares for this next challenge and Muirhead believes they can capitalise on their teammate’s experience as they get into the action. 
“As a team we’re delighted to have Jen back with us,” Muirhead continued
“We’ve been in supporting her as much as we can and obviously gutted that she didn’t do what she wanted to do out her with Bruce, but for her it’s all great experience and for us it’s great to have someone who has competed within the Mixed Doubles, to get as much knowledge as we can.
“We’re really looking forward to kicking off on a new start and for her there will be a bit of fight within her, because coming away with fourth in the Mixed Doubles I’m sure she’s got a lot of extra motivation for the team event.”
While the rest of her team are new to this environment, they came through a testing process to be in Beijing and their skip believes they have earned the right to be there and to make their bid for a place in the pantheon of British Olympic greats.
“It's a very exciting prospect,” she said.
“For the rest of the team this is their first Olympic Games and I couldn’t be prouder of how far they’ve come to get here and couldn’t be prouder of how hard they’ve worked and I think to go out there and have their first Olympic Games here in this fantastic arena is very special.
“I think we look back at the history of this place and how many medals for Great Britain it’s produced with the swimming and Becky Adlington in particular, it’s inspiring to know we have the chance to do the same and to make some history for Great Britain.”
The entire men’s team are competing at their first Winter Olympics, but they are otherwise hugely experienced as demonstrated by their opening day’s play marking vice skip Grant Hardie’s 100th international appearance, while his cousin Hammy McMillan will reach that mark on day two.
Along with Bobby Lammie and alternate Ross Whyte, they are consequently itching to add an Olympic appearance to their list of personal achievements and to pursuing the medal that would add to those previously won at European Championships in which, like the women, they are current title holders.
“It’s been a long week waiting,” said Hardie.
“We’ve been cheering on the Mixed Doubles, but it was amazing to finally get on the ice ourselves. Our first impressions were that the ice conditions were phenomenal, with really nice curl speed, so we’re very excited to start tomorrow.” 
Intriguingly, their first match will see them up against newly crowned Olympic Mixed Doubles champion Amos Mosaner with whom Hardie will go head-to-head as their teams respective vice skips.
“Italy up first will no double be a tough game with Amos just coming off a very good week of Mixed Doubles, so we’ll need to put in our best performance,” he said.
In doing so they will be reliant on skip Bruce Mouat recovering quickly from his Mixed Doubles disappointment, but Hardie believes there is no risk of him suffering a negative reaction.
“We’re very proud of how Bruce and Jen handled themselves all week,” he said.
“It wasn’t the result they were looking for, but he’s coming back into the group now, moved into our apartment and seems in great spirits.
“He’s not going to dwell on the Mixed Doubles too much and is just looking forward to starting the Men’s event tomorrow and putting things right this week.”
Images: Team GB / Sam Mellish & PPA / Graeme Hart
