Ice cool curler Callie Soutar felt the warmth of a Forfar Academy reception as she returned to school clutching her Youth Winter Olympics gold medal.
But despite the hero’s welcome at the Angus secondary, 15-year-old Callie admits her mixed pairs triumph at Gangown 2024 is still to fully sink in.
Callie and Aberdeen teenager Ethan Brewster capped a record medal haul for Team GB in South Korea.
And the young Forfar star says the “amazing” experience has inspired her to reach new heights in her curling career.
She was the youngest curler in the Team GB squad – and the latest player to put the Angus town on the map after Hailey Duff’s Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics gold as part of Team Muirhead.
Parents cheered her on from the Gangwon gallery
Callie made the long haul home at the weekend, with parents Louise and Alan who were at the games throughout.
Former champion curler Louise could barely watch her daughter’s final stone in the gold medal match against Denmark.
But Callie refused to let herself think about gold.
Callie crammed in Nat 5 prelims before flying out to Korea just in time to see Team GB’s mixed rink claim gold.
“It was really nice to see that, but you then feel a bit of pressure there to do the same,” she said.
“Ethan and I hadn’t really played together at all, but after the first couple of games we began to gel.
“I think we did well together and I was happy with how I played some of the pressure shots in the last end of some of our matches.”
Eve’s experience pays dividends
And she revealed the inspirational support from team GB Chef de Mission Eve Muirhead as the young duo reached the sharp end of the competition.
“Eve was amazing all the way through and so happy for us when we won gold,” said Callie.
“When you were playing all the other Team GB members would turn up to support, which was great.
“And if you hear a shout of “good shot” from Eve Muirhead then you know you’ve done ok.
“Before the semi-final I went to her and she told me how she used to calm her nerves. It definitely worked.
“We really wanted to get to the medals.
“But I didn’t let myself think about that, I just concentrated on the game we were in.
“I don’t remember thinking about anything else during the final than just throwing my next stone.”
The victorious pair had little time to catch their breath after the podium before taking part in the closing ceremony.
“It was really lovely, it was snowing and to end it with a gold medal was amazing,” said Callie.
Staff and fellow pupils at Forfar Academy hailed her success at assembly on Monday.
The rising star’s season is coming to a close, but she still has Scottish U-17s and U-21 events to contest with her own rink.
And in March, Team Soutar is heading to Sweden to play in the Bill Ross competition for top junior sides.
“It’s our first international competition as a team so I’m really looking forward to that,” said Callie.
Conversation