Olympic champion curler Muirhead revokes retirement

Muirhead Calls Time on Retirement to Chase 2030 Glory

Ninoda.com – Eve Muirhead has announced she is ending her retirement from curling, revealing that serving as Team GB’s chef de mission at the recent Winter Games reignited her passion for the sport. The 36-year-old Olympic champion stepped away from competition four years after securing gold in Beijing, a period during which she openly discussed the mental health difficulties she faced while pursuing her ultimate dream.

Now, inspired by her role in Milan-Cortina, Muirhead is preparing to return to the ice. She will partner with Bobby Lammie, a two-time Olympic silver medallist, in the mixed doubles discipline. The duo captured world championship honours together in 2022 and are now targeting a spot at the Alpes 2030 Games.

A Fresh Perspective on Competition

Muirhead reflected on how time away from the sport allowed her to explore new physical pursuits and experience curling without the intense self-imposed expectations of her competitive years.

“The more time I spent around elite sport and curling, the more I began to wonder whether I still had something to give on the ice,” she explained.

She added that while the path to Olympic qualification remains demanding, she feels revitalized and ready for the challenge ahead.

“I know how demanding the road to an Olympics is, but I am returning from a very different place. I feel refreshed, physically strong and excited by the challenge. I would not be coming back unless I believed I could perform at that level again.”

The Scot noted that her time as chef de mission rekindled feelings she had not experienced in years, even though the role concluded abruptly when the Games finished.

“But the competitive side of me never disappeared,” she said. “The more time I spent around elite sport and curling, the more I began to wonder whether I still had something to give on the ice.”

Drummond Joins the Return

Muirhead’s former teammate Vicky Drummond is also making a comeback, setting up an intriguing rivalry within the GB Curling mixed doubles programme. Drummond, aged 32, will team up with Euan Kyle, while Jen Dodds—another member of Muirhead’s original rink—also returns to competition.

Drummond, who works as an intensive care nurse, credited her involvement with the BBC Sport team in Cortina for reigniting her competitive spirit. She emphasized that her return is motivated by more than just athletic ambition.

“Becoming a mum doesn’t mean your ambitions have to end,” Drummond stated, referring to her young daughter Sophie.

“More than anything, I want my return to mean something beyond the ice. I want Sophie to grow up knowing that it’s never too late to chase something that excites you. If she grows up believing that anything is possible because she watched me try, then this journey will already have been worth it.”

Drummond acknowledged uncertainty about where her comeback will lead but expressed enthusiasm for the unknown future.

“I have no idea where this road will lead, but I’m excited to find out.”

A New Chapter for British Curling

Observing both athletes in Cortina revealed how much they valued being part of the elite sporting environment. Muirhead’s dedication to completing Hyrox events worldwide at a high level demonstrated that her competitive drive remained undiminished.

At 36, Muirhead brings not only Olympic gold to her return but also the resilience gained from navigating the pressures of elite sport. She will be supported by what many consider the finest sweeper in the game alongside her.

Drummond, slightly younger and driven by a different personal motivation, remains just as fierce in competition. The contest between the three women to secure positions in Great Britain’s leading mixed doubles pairing as the sport heads toward the next Winter Olympics promises to be captivating.