Messages of congratulations poured in for Team Muirhead after Great Britain’s women curlers took the bronze medal at the Winter Olympics.
The Stirling-based team ended a 12-year-wait for Winter Olympics success by beating Switzerland 6-5.
Courier columnist Eve Muirhead clinched the medal for the team with the decisive final stone of the nail-biting match.
The girls said their phones were buzzing as soon as they stepped off the ice and they were looking forward to a great gathering of curling families at a restaurant on Olympic Park.
They said they were particularly grateful to receive a good luck message in the morning from rower Katharine Grainger, whose own heartbreaking Olympic experiences three successive silver medals had a golden ending in London.
“Katherine sent a really nice email and that lifted our spirits,” skip Muirhead said.
“She said she had full faith in us, that all the summer Olympians were behind us, and that she would be up at half-past eight watching and just told us to believe that we could do it.Eve’s blog Time to celebrate (and get back on Twitter)“That meant a lot, especially after our disappointment in the semi-final. We knew that she came through a lot of disappointment before she got that gold medal.”
There were also messages of support from Sir Chris Hoy and from Jessica Ennis-Hill.
“It’s great to know these legend Olympians are here supporting other great British athletes,” Muirhead added. “Just little things like that help you along.”
For Muirhead, those closer to home who helped fulfil her Olympic dream deserved special praise.
“I can’t thank everyone enough at home,” she said. “The people at Perth Ice Rink have been fantastic Paul puts on great ice for us anytime we want, Stirling as well. I just can’t thank these guys enough.
“And for Blair Atholl, for my wee village, I hope I have done them proud.
“I know they would have been up watching at half-past-eight. I just can’t wait to go home, see everybody and thank them all.”