What's happened
Beijing 2022 gold medallist Eve Muirhead has revoked her retirement and is returning to curling. She will partner Bobby Lammie in mixed doubles this season as British Curling targets Alpes 2030, after serving as Team GB’s chef de mission at Milan-Cortina 2026.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
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Eve Muirhead’s return marks a strategic shift for British curling, focusing on mixed doubles to secure a path to Alpes 2030.
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The pairing with Bobby Lammie recalls their 2022 world title, suggesting synergy on ice and potential for quick qualification progress.
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The decision is framed around renewed motivation and a desire to inspire through a back-to-back Olympic cycle, leveraging her experience as chef de mission to boost programme visibility.
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This update aligns with broader moves to decentralise training and broaden participation, potentially raising interest and sponsorship in UK curling.
How we got here
Muirhead announced her retirement in 2022 after a 15-year senior career that yielded Olympic and European titles. She has spent the interim years exploring new challenges, writing, and working with the BOA. This year she is returning to competitive curling as part of a decentralised programme in England and Scotland, training at Flower Bowl Preston and Stirling’s National Curling Academy.
Our analysis
BBC Sport (article by Richard Winton), The Scotsman (Matthew Elder), The Independent (report)
Go deeper
- Will Muirhead’s return accelerate British curling’s Olympic bid for 2030?
- How will the decentralised training model affect Lammie and Muirhead’s preparation?
- What does this mean for the next generation of British curlers?
More on these topics
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Eve Muirhead - Scottish curler
Eve Muirhead MBE is a Scottish curler residing in Stirling. She won a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi as part of Team GB and is the 2013 World Champion.
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Bobby Lammie - Scottish curler
Bobby Lammie is a Scottish curler from Glasgow. He currently plays second on Team Bruce Mouat.