It won’t come as a shock that I’m not in any rush to say goodbye to 2022!
The last big goal I had left in curling was achieved and the year brought rewards that I hadn’t even dreamt of.
An Olympic gold, a World title, retirement, an OBE and third in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards made it a bit of an eventful one!
Here’s a ‘six of the best’ list that made 2022 so unique and special –
1 – Best shot
I probably have to give joint first to two shots I played in Beijing.
One was to get the four against Sweden in the semi-final and the other was for my four in the final against Japan.
They were very similar – a short raise.
They’re not the hardest shot I produced in 2022 but both of them were the turning point in the match, albeit in different circumstances and timing.
If I was really forced to choose one it would be the semi-final. That can be my shot of the year.
HUGE from Eve Muirhead! 🤯
Great Britain get FOUR in the ninth end!
Great Britain 11-8 Sweden
One end left to clinch a place in the gold medal match!
📺 Watch on @BBCTwo and @BBCiPlayer 👇#BBCOlympics #Beijing2022
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 18, 2022
2 – Best end
I’m going for the same game for this one.
But a different stage of the match.
After Sweden took four in the first end most people would have been thinking ‘game over’.
Looking back, I’m so proud that we were so patient and got our tactics spot on in the next end when our heads could have been scrambled.
In the past, I’d have gone super aggressive and ended up losing more, which really would have been ‘game over’.
It was quite a simplistic end to get a three but it was the result of a lot of tactical preparation.
We’d worked on being patient as far as setting things up was concerned.
It was a real team end – that’s the best description I can give it.
3 – Best match
If I was allowed to go back into 2021 I’d be tempted to choose the European final against Sweden but I’ll stick with 2022 and go for the match that won myself and Bobby Lammie the mixed World title.
We were up against two of the best players in the world in Alina Paetz and Sven Michel.
We’d had a great tournament and we got our tactics spot on in the final.
It's GOLD for Team Scotland! 🥇🏴
Switzerland put up a great challenge in the final, but Eve Muirhead and Bobby Lammie secured the win and the World Mixed Doubles title. 🙌
Many congratulations to both athletes! 👏
📸 WCF/Celine Stucki pic.twitter.com/NUDgZqU8G1
— Scottish Curling (@scottishcurling) April 30, 2022
It wasn’t until the sixth or seventh end that we gave up our first steal of the whole week.
It’s pretty rare to play so well before a final and keep it going in the gold medal game.
That turned out to be my last championship medal and turned out to be going out on a real high.
4 – Best moment
Seeing the gold medal game in Beijing come to an end was an incredible high and there were plenty of other magic moments that came after it.
But stepping onto the top of the podium was the ultimate – you just had to see the tears of joy to know that!
It literally does feel like you’ve climbed your own personal career Everest when you stand in the middle of it.
The relief is something else.
I wasn’t thinking about retirement then but I did know that I wouldn’t have to win another medal in my life after that one.
It’s like ‘this is it’.
The gold being put round my neck by Kate Caithness, who I’ve known for a long time made it extra special.
5 – Best decision
There were plenty on the ice, as skip, but arriving at the conclusion that this was the year to retire was a pretty significant one off it.
It’s so important for an athlete to get the timing right because living with regrets for going too soon or too late can haunt some people.
A few months later, I’m so glad that I have no regrets, which tells me I made the right decision, making it the best one!
6 – Best piece of advice
You are never too experienced to get good advice.
At the start of 2022, I stopped worrying as much about other people in my team.
As a skip, for years I would take everything on my shoulders.
The best advice I got was to make sure I’m OK and so is my game.
Then everything else will flow from that.
I think that’s a big thing in team sport, especially for a captain or leader.
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