It won’t be until I retire that I start ranking the medals I’ve won in some sort of order.
And hopefully I’ve got a few more big ones left to come yet!
But for the moment, last Saturday’s European gold feels as if it might go pretty close to the top.
I’ll admit it, there have been plenty of times when I’ve thought that I would never get back to the heights of 2013/14/15.
There was the hip surgery, the pandemic and the loss of a spark that we had as a team.
Full credit has to go to British Curling for taking the decision to go with the squad system because it has worked in so many ways.
After a great game Scotland score two, and the gold medal! 🏴🥇 #ECC2021 #curling
Watch live on Recast at https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89 pic.twitter.com/sNLMnc7NeM
— World Curling (@worldcurling) November 27, 2021
For the likes of Hailey Duff and Mili Smith, it has opened up a path that would have been blocked if things had stayed the same.
And for everybody, myself included, it created a mentality change that has brought out the best in us.
Hailey has been amazing, as has Mili, who I have to give a special mention for being such an inspirational and determined person to have in our team.
You could tell there were a lot of raised eyebrows in the sport about the decision but the level we got to after such a short space of time is proof that it was a bold and great move.
We had to dig deep in the semi-final against Germany and found out a lot about ourselves to come back in that one and then beat the Olympic champions in the final.
Next weekend the stakes will rise again when we compete in the Olympic qualifiers and hopefully momentum is with us.
We’ll certainly be going to the Netherlands with nothing to fear and we know we can perform under the highest of pressure.
He won three world medals (bronze in 1969, silver in 1970 and silver again in 1976).
And he was the Scottish senior champion for five years in a row in the 80s.
Four of those Scottish senior titles were with his brother, Tom, my grandad.
He was a Scottish curling legend in his time.
It goes without saying how proud I am of the Muirhead curling name and it was with Tom and Bill that it all started.
I’m glad to see that Hannah Miley has no regrets now that she’s announced her retirement from elite swimming.
Hannah has been a true role model for her sport and I’m sure she’ll continue to inspire others, however she chooses to stay involved.
We always had something in common, with both of us being coached by our dads.
“There is something quite powerful when a Scot hears the national anthem, you take stock of the hard work and effort that has gone in to be able to enjoy that moment.”
– @HannahMiley89 pic.twitter.com/LBmkLpcq8N
— Team Scotland (@Team_Scotland) December 1, 2021
The Olympic medal was the one which eluded her but when you leave no stone unturned in your career, there are no ‘what ifs’.
A bit like Eilidh Doyle, she was able to show that you can get to the very top and be a really nice person at the same time.
You can’t ask for much more than that.
