Scotland’s Team Muirhead capped an extraordinary three weeks’ work when they earned Team GB a place at next year’s Winter Olympics on the final day of the round-robin at the Olympic Qualification Event in the Netherlands. 
It was the perfect Christmas present for the team and the perfect way to mark the landmark of 50 days to go to Beijing for Team GB, but it was an outcome that had looked extremely unlikely at the start of the day with table-topping Japan facing the team at the bottom of the standings in their final match, needing only to win to secure a place in Beijing without having to go through the playoffs for the final two spots.
However, while Eve Muirhead, Vicky Wright, Jen Dodds and Hailey Duff were thrashing a dangerous Italy side 8-1 in double quick time, requiring just six of the scheduled 10 ends, the drama was unfolding across the ice, where Turkey, who had inflicted a shock defeat on the Scots at the start of the week, were putting Japan, the team that denied Team GB a medal at the last Winter Olympics, under pressure.
Turkey skip, Dilsat Yildiz, had been the main source of Scottish misery on Sunday, but she became the toast of the Muirhead camp by holding her nerve to lead her team to an 8-5 win.
That left the Scots level with Japan and Korea on six wins and two losses, but the outcome was down to attention to detail, since the tie-breaker was Draw Shot Challenge, based on their overall performance across the week in the pre-match last stone draws which dictate which team wins the hammer.
They knew they held that advantage, which made for a tense experience as they waited for the result of the Turkey-Japan encounter. 
“I couldn’t actually watch the Japan game,” Muirhead admitted.
“I went to my room because I hate watching. I’d much rather be on the ice. The four other girls watched it and then they phoned me and the celebrations began there and then.
“It’s going to take a while to sink in, but to have booked Team GB a place on the flight to Beijing and to have the chance of going back to another Olympic Games is something very, very special.”
By winning the event the quartet continued an exceptional run that has seen them win all four competitions they have played together, which includes beating both the reigning Olympic champions Team Hasselborg and the winners of the last two World Championships, Team Tirinzoni on their way to winning the European Curling Championships a fortnight ago.
That was Muirhead’s third European title, but a first for all of her teammates and, while they still await the official selection process, she rightly expressed pride in their achievement on behalf of Team GB.
“We’re absolutely delighted. This is why you play isn’t it, to get a spot in the Olympic Games and for all five of us it just rewards a lot of very hard work, a lot of dedication. For it to pay off is just very, very special,” she said.
“For myself, the chance to get to a fourth Games is something I’ve dreamed of and there were times that I never ever thought that would ever happen again and for everyone else it’ll be their first Olympics, so it’s very exciting.
“The whole team has performed well, including Mili (Smith), our fifth player, who hasn’t played any games, but has been a huge part of our team, working late checking stones and doing everything she can to help us prepare. We’re not a team of four, we’re a team of five and with our coaches Kristian (Lindstrom) and Dave (Murdoch) as well, we’ve all come together and been one really great team here. We’ve obviously had a lot to deal with due to COVID situations and with disappointment at Worlds, so when something so great like this comes out of it, it just shows that the hard work and the dedication has been worth it.”
That had been in evidence throughout the week as they recovered from the shock of losing two of their first three matches, but built unstoppable momentum thereafter, rounding things off by gaining revenge over the only team that had beaten them at last month’s Euros as they ended Italy’s chances of going to Beijing.
“We played a really, really good game there against Italy because we knew it meant a lot for them,” said Muirhead.
“If they’d won it would have put them in a qualifying position, but it also meant a lot for us, because of how it would affect our positioning in the table. So, we came out the same as we have for every other game, prepared the very same way and we came out playing really well from the very first stone.”
As the only member of the team that represented Great Britain at the last Olympics to still be involved in the British Curling programme, Muirhead has faced countless challenges in her bid to make it to a fourth Games.
The 31-year-old has had to recover from a similar hip operation to the one undergone by compatriot Andy Murray then, after being denied opportunities to regain form due to the restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID pandemic, suffered a shock result at last season’s World Championships where her team finished outside the top six, so failed to earn Olympic qualification.
That resulted in British Curling’s introduction of an innovative squad system in the early part of this season, which saw nine players battle hard for places in the team that would be given these opportunities at the Euros and the Olympic qualifier. 
The way they have responded consequently meant emotions were running high in Leeuwarden, as British Curling’s Head Coach David Murdoch pointed out in paying tribute to everyone in the organisation for the way they have pulled together.
“There’s tears and everything here right now,” he said.
“It’s been quite a journey and a battle against adversity, given all the things we’ve had to contend with. I’m just so proud of how the girls have bounced back and they never, ever took their eyes off the prize.
“There was so much hard work this year, coming back from the Worlds and it’s testament to what we have done at British Curling, seeking excellence in everything we do and we’ve got rewards for it.
“Everyone’s been part of making this happen, the coaching team, the back room staff and all the staff in the office and the girls have delivered this week and it has been an incredible result.”
Scotland Team (Qualifying Team GB for Beijing 2022)
Eve Muirhead
Vicky Wright
Jen Dodds
Hailey Duff
Mili Smith
Schedule:
Saturday 11 December
0800 – Session 1
Scotland v Czech Republic 7-5
Sunday 12 December
1300 – Session 3
Scotland v Turkey 3-7
Monday 13 December
0800- Session 4
Scotland v Korea 4-8
1800 – Session 5
Scotland v Japan 8-5
Tuesday 14 December
1300 – Session 6
Scotland v Germany 7-4
Wednesday 15 December
0800 – Session 7
Scotland v Estonia 9-2
1800 – Session 8
Scotland v Latvia 9-5
Thursday 16 December
1300 – Session 9
Scotland v Italy 8-1
Friday 17 December
0900 Play-off Session 1
Saturday 18 December
0900 Play-off Session 2
Image: WCF/ Steve Seixeiro
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