Winter Olympics: Eve Muirhead says curling gold in Beijing a 'dream come true'

«It's a dream come true.»

At the fourth attempt, after heart-breaking near misses and career-saving surgery on an arthritic hip, Eve Muirhead finally has her Olympic curling gold medal.

«Without these girls being so strong, this dream would not have come true,» said Muirhead, who was in tears on the podium.

«They helped me become a better curler, and a better person.

»Together we are a very, very strong unit and I think today we proved that."

The Great Britain team of Muirhead, Vicky Wright, Jen Dodds and Hailey Duff overwhelmed Japan 10-3 in Sunday's final — a routine surge to victory compared with the twists and turns of the previous rounds, and with Muirhead's Olympic past.

After four defeats from nine in the group stage, GB only scraped into the semi-finals courtesy of other results going their way and the tiebreak of the 'draw shot challenge'.

In the last four they came through a gripping, stomach-churning match against Sweden — a win third time lucky for Muirhead, who had lost Olympic semi-finals in 2014 and 2018.

«Nobody likes to do it the easy way, do they? So we thought we would do it the tough way,» the 31-year-old said.

«As a team we showed a lot of resilience. We are very strong and very fit. And I think being physically fit helps you be mentally fit.

»It shows that if you can be as strong at the beginning of a tournament as at the end of a tournament, then you have a good chance.

«As a team, there were moments where you doubt yourself. You doubt whether you will make those play-offs, but we never gave up. We just didn't give up, and I think that shows the incredible strength of this team.»

The win emulates the gold secured by Great Britain 20 years earlier when Rhona Howie, née Martin, delivered her 'Stone of