Curlers make it Britain’s best winter for 90 years
BRITISH skip Eve Muirhead hailed the character of her curling rink to win the bronze medal yesterday that makes Sochi 2014 Team GB’s best Winter Olympics for 90 years.
After “tough words” were exchanged following Wednesday’s semi-final defeat to Canada, Britain bounced back to beat Switzerland 6-5, Muirhead gaining the decisive point with the final stone of the match.
She said: “To lose a semi-final and then come back and play for bronze is extra tough. We regrouped and came out fighting. It’s a dream come true.”
Following Lizzy Yarnold’s gold in the skeleton, bronze for snowboarder Jenny Jones and the minimum of a silver medal for the men’s curlers today, Team GB are guaranteed to at least equal their haul from Chamonix in 1924 of one gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
Yet there could still be further glory before Sunday’s closing ceremony.
Speed skater Elise Christie, disqualified twice already in Sochi, goes in her preferred 1,000m short track discipline today, while opening ceremony flag-bearer Jon Eley also races on the ice over 500m.
Britain’s four-man bobsleigh team, piloted by Royal Marine John Jackson, were fastest in training yesterday and go for gold on Sunday.
PAST GLORIES
■ Britain’s best Games were the very first, in 1924, where four medals were won including men’s curling gold
■ Three medals were taken home from Germany in 1936, including a surprise men’s hockey gold
■ Only twice, post-war, have Britain won more than a single medal
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
■ David Muirhead’s curling rink go for gold against Canada, champions at the past two winter Games, at 1.30pm
■ Elise Christie seeks redemption in the figure skating short track 1,000m. Quarter-finals begin at 4.44pm
■ USA meet Canada in the men’s ice hockey semi-finals at 5pm