Exclusive: Eve Muirhead says ‘blur’ of Beijing gold was ‘perfect ending’ to career – ‘I would do it all over again’

Eve Muirhead says winning gold at the Beijing Winter Olympics gave her “some of the best memories I ever, ever will have”, as she reflected on a “rollercoaster year”.

Having won bronze at Sochi 2014 and finished fourth in Pyeongchang 2018, Muirhead went into Beijing looking for the icing on an already impressive palmares. She delivered a flawless performance to lead her team to gold.

Being the only gold-medal winners at an Olympics for GB gave her and her team a considerable spotlight, but it is one that she cherished.

Talking exclusively to Eurosport, Muirhead said: “The aftermath was a bit of a blur, if I’m perfectly honest.

“I think I must have had about five hours sleep in four nights. It was just constant. As soon as we won, we were [doing] media, then straight to the closing ceremony, early flight [home], a couple of days in London, then back to Edinburgh.

“And I remember I was on my way back from Edinburgh Airport after a lot of media for the last few days. I think it was about 10pm we got back, and I came back thinking my own bed is just around the corner.

“And I came back to my full street having a street party for me, literally 10 steps from my bed.

“The celebrations, the pictures, the excitement carried on, but I would never, ever have it any other way.

“I think I almost slept for a week after it. But I would do all over again if I could because it’s just such a fantastic experience.

“It’s a blur, but it’s also some of the best memories I ever, ever will have.”

‘We switched on and off’

Muirhead revealed that one of the biggest keys to her team’s win was the way they bonded together away from the ice, amid the strict Covid-19 precautions that were in place in China.

She said: “I always went into these events with very high expectations. But when I went to Beijing, I realised that probably it was maybe my last opportunity. I’m not getting any younger, and it was my fourth games.

“I went in knowing that I had no pressure on me because we were the underdogs. I had a fantastic team behind me, we all got on very, very well. And I think what we did very well as a team, we switched on and off. We switched on when we needed to be professional, work colleagues as such.

“But then we also managed to switch off and on and have a laugh, enjoy what was happening over there. It sounds bizarre, since we got PCR tests every day, we had to wear masks 24/7, the food wasn’t great. But we made the most of these things and turned it into a positive.

“So I think that side of it was something that we just rode the wave of, we never complained once about the precautions that were taking place because of Covid. We realised that those precautions were happening because it was to help us and for our safety.

“And so we had a laugh the whole week, and we enjoyed it.”

Retirement – and meeting the King

Muirhead opened up on how she arrived at her decision to retire, which she took in August, and revealed that she had to fight back from low moments to reach the top step in Beijing.

She said: “It’s been a rollercoaster of a year to say the least, from going to the World Championships during the pandemic and being stuck in a hotel room for five and a half weeks, and not been able to qualify Team Great Britain for a spot in Winter Olympic Games – more or less coming home as a failure – to then stand on the podium at those Winter Olympic Games with a gold medal around your neck. So there has been a huge shift in emotion.

“There were times after those World Championships that – I’ll be honest – I wanted to quit. I didn’t enjoy the sport, I came back and I was in a very, very bad place.

“But I had a great support team around me. I managed to pull my way through. And then I realised that I needed to focus on me. I needed to focus on making sure I was physically fit, but most importantly, mentally fit. And I did that. And it was hard. But I’m glad I didn’t throw the shoes away. I’m glad I pulled myself through. We came through the other side and I’ve got absolutely no regrets in what I did to get to where I am.

“It was a very hard journey to get to the top of the podium in Beijing. And to be honest, the thought of doing that again scared me. It kind of scared me that I was going to fail, and probably not be successful again. So I realised that this was the time.”

Was it the perfect ending to her career? “Yeah. I think to retire as European, World and Olympic champion. Sounds pretty cool.”

Since taking the decision to retire, Muirhead’s life has pivoted away from the rink towards meetings with King Charles III, a dinner sat next to IOC president Thomas Bach and appearances on Sky’s ‘A League Of Their Own’.

“Of course meeting the King was very special,” she said.

“To celebrate success along with the summer athletes from Tokyo inside Buckingham Palace was something that’s very, very special. Sometimes I do need to pinch myself to realise what we’ve done as a team. And what’s kind of happening in front of us.

“He [the King] chatted a little bit about curling on Balmoral [Lake] and then Camilla, the Queen Consort, started speaking a little bit about sweeping and how hard work that is.

“She was up watching it [the Beijing curling] during the night. It’s great that these people know your achievements and know what you’ve done.”