Winter Olympics 2022 Team GB curlers: Flag-bearer Bruce Mouat reflects on women's gold after personal highlight honour

Eve Muirhead gave Bruce Mouat an extra morsel of motivation to turn Beijing silver into glistening gold in Milano-Cortina.

Muirhead and Mouat’s brilliant performances marked the first time that two British curling teams have stood on the podium at the same Games.

While Muirhead cantered to 10-3 victory in the gold medal match against Japan, Mouat was narrowly outwitted 5-4 by Sweden in a low-scoring thriller.

The 27-year-old didn’t need any more incentive to chase top step in four years’ time, but Muirhead gave it to him anyway.

“What a resilient team that is, they’ve had to battle so hard for the last year and I’m over the moon for them,” said Mouat.

“That gold medal looked very good on them! The girls suit it completely.

“The guys and I have got the same drive to get back in 2026 and fight hard for that gold medal. We’re going to give it our all in the next four years.”

The quartet comprised of Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan have stayed together as a team since 2018, and Mouat’s fairytale Olympic debut was capped by the privilege of being named Team GB’s flagbearer for the closing ceremony.

The Edinburgh star, a rare first-time Olympian given the honour, will become the third curler to lead the delegation after Rhona Howie and Muirhead - who did so in the Opening Ceremony at the Bird’s Nest.

“I did not expect anything like this coming into the Games. I thought I would be curling away in the background for 18 days or whatever,” said Mouat.

“When I got told, with the entire emotion of the gold medal game day, it just completely overwhelmed me.

"It's been awesome to watch the other athletes compete and show their hearts out there on the snow, or in the air doing crazy flips, or on the speed skating