EVE MUIRHEAD: I’m humbled to be chosen to lead Team GB at next Winter Olympics

I’m incredibly proud to have been appointed the Chef de Mission for Team GB at the next Winter Olympics.

When you see the lovely reaction to the news and take a bit of time to let it sink in what the role means, it really is pretty humbling to be in a position of such responsibility.

It’s a privilege.

And personally for me, it’s an exciting opportunity.

I guess it’s a bit scary as well because it’s a big step-up from doing a similar job at the Youth Winter Olympics in Gangwon earlier in the year.

The scale of it will be on a whole different level.

But, I guess, the principles are the same.

Basically, I’m in charge of a the team behind the team, whose purpose will be to help athletes fulfil their dreams, whatever they may be.

In my four Olympic Games, I looked on the Chef de Mission as a person who was always there for me to speak to.

That’s how I’ll be viewing it.

I was lucky to have Mike Hay in the role for a couple of my Games.

With Mike being from Perth and a former curler, it’s nice to follow in his footsteps.

I’m definitely going to lean on him over the next year and a bit.

I do think the fact that I’m not long retired will help me.

There will be older curlers than me still competing in Italy in 2026!

Current athletes feeling they can relate to me is a big part of it and I’ll be doing my best to hopefully help inspire the Brits as a role model and be a hands-on leader who can pass on the benefit of my experience when it’s asked for.

Scottie Scheffler is probably the last man you’d imagine being taken away in handcuffs before the start of a golf tournament.

It’s ironic that in last week’s column I was talking about Rory McIlroy being able to play good golf when there were big things going on in his private life.

Scheffler’s Friday morning trip to a police cell gives a whole new meaning to the word ‘distraction’.

I’m absolutely amazed he was able to play a good round of golf after that.

Thankfully, there was never anything quite so dramatic before I stepped on the ice to compete.

Forgetting clocks have changed or transport breaking down on the way to the venue was as bad as it got!

Congratulations to St Johnstone on securing another season in the Premiership.

It was a dramatic day on Sunday and one thing I do know all about from my own career is depending on a result you have no control over.

It happens a lot in curling at the end of the round robin stage, going into the knock-outs.

As much as I’d love to say I was totally focused on my own game all the time, that’s impossible.

Especially when other games are being played on the same ice!

The Beijing Olympics is the biggest example.

You do feel helpless at times, which every athlete will tell you, is horrible.

I dread to think what those few minutes were like for the Saints players after their game was over and Ross County’s was still going on.

It would have made the celebrations even better in the end, though!