Scotland rounded up its 2014 Winter Olympics contingent to 10 when Stirling’s Lauren Gray was predictably named by the British Olympic Association as the fifth member of the women’s curling squad for Sochi.
Team GB now features five Scots in each of the men’s and women’s curling rinks, led by David Murdoch and Eve Muirhead respectively.
Gray joins Muirhead, Claire Hamilton, Anna Sloan and Vicki Adams as they look to add Olympic gold to their 2013 world title and European silver medal, secured last week in Norway.
Born in Stirling, Gray started her curling career at the age of eight and is no stranger to the Olympic environment, having won gold playing second at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in 2009.
She was also part of the rink that won gold at the World University Games in 2011 and was crowned world junior champion in 2012.
After winning the World Championships as alternate with Muirhead at the start of this year, Gray completed her university degree over the summer before acting as alternate at Stavanger last week.
On the same day she was formally selected for Sochi, she graduated with a 2:1 in English Literature and Politics from Glasgow University.
Now all in their early 20s, Muirhead’s rink have been competing together for seven years in various teams throughout their junior careers.
Gray said she was thrilled by her selection.
“I am absolutely delighted to have been selected to represent Team GB in Sochi,” she said.
“I have been working extremely hard since the last Olympic cycle to achieve as much as I can within the curling circuit to give myself the best possible chance of being selected.
“I was honoured to be picked by British Curling to be Team Muirhead’s alternate at the World Championships earlier this year and more recently at the European Championships.
“I’m hoping that these experiences have given me the tools to support the girls in any way needed to help them achieve their Olympic dreams.
“I’m privileged to have been invited to join one of the best curling teams in the world on their journey to success in Sochi. I’m looking forward to the hard work this selection will entail.”
Mike Hay, Team GB’s Perth-born Chef de Mission for Sochi, said: “I am delighted to welcome Lauren Gray to Team GB and the curling team that will be competing at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
“The women’s curling team clearly has medal potential and is certainly one to watch in Sochi.”
British Curling women’s head coach Rhona Howie, who as Rhona Martin skipped her rink to victory at the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics, said: “Being chosen to represent one’s country and Team GB at the Olympics is the highlight of any athlete’s career and I’d like to congratulate Lauren on her well-deserved selection as alternate.”