Forfar teenager Callie Soutar is South Korea-bound in her bid to emulate local heroes as part of Team GB’s curling squad at the Winter Youth Olympics.
The Angus 15-year-old left Scotland on Monday to join up with teammates at the Gangwon 2024 event which is already underway.
But she had to cram in a string of prelim school exams before being able to turn her thoughts to rink tactics.
So she is now fully focused on emulating fellow Forfar Young Curler Hailey Duff, who sensationally put the Angus town on the map with gold at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
And Callie could have no better figure to help her achieve her Gangwon goal than Team GB chef de mission Eve Muirhead, who skipped the victorious Beijing rink.
Successful season for Team Soutar
Like Hailey, Callie threw her first stone at Forfar Indoor Sports curling rink.
The teenager has a strong curling pedigree with mum Louise a former Scottish junior champ.
And Callie is proving herself to be one of the big prospects of the sport’s next generation.
She has already led her own Team Soutar rink to success at U-17 and Under-21 level.
Last summer her talent took her to Canada for a summer camp funded by the Matt Murdoch Curling Foundation.
And she says the Winter Youth Olympics is a dream opportunity.
“We had to put in an application and were then invited to a trial day and presentation,” said Callie.
“It was amazing just to be considered so I couldn’t believe it when I was selected.”
Inspired by gold-medal Olympian
She would love to follow Forfar’s Hailey into the gold-medal books.
“I know Hailey from Forfar Young Curlers but we’ve never actually played against each other,” Callie added.
“Hailey’s a lovely person and it was great to see her do what she did in the Winter Olympics.
“It is such a great inspiration for the younger ones to realise that they can make it if they really want to.”
In South Korea she will partner with Aberdeen 16-year-old Ethan Brewster for the mixed competition.
“We’d definitely love to get out of our section and hopefully progress through the rounds and get to the medals,” she said.
“Having Eve Muirhead as the chef de mission for Team GB is great, she is such an amazing ambassador for curling.”
Callie’s also glad to have put the Nat 5 prelims behind her.
“I was meant to have some during the week but the school managed to put them all together before I went to South Korea,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to getting there.
“I’ve had a lot of messages from teammates who are already there and they say it is great.”
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