Eve Muirhead deserves a right Royal day out after she led Team GB to curling gold.
She and the team have received huge praise from locals, politicians and the many spectators as they did the nation proud.
And now many hope to see the 31-year-old’s name feature on the UK honours list once again.
In 2020, she was appointed MBE for services to her sport in the Queen’s birthday honours.
Fans believe she should now become Dame Eve Muirhead.
‘An inspiration to us all’
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Liz Smith has called for Eve to be honoured again by the Queen.
The Scottish Conservative representative submitted a Parliamentary motion celebrating Eve’s and Team GB’s success.
She said: “Eve Muirhead is an inspiration to us all and l am sure the whole of the country is rejoicing in her success and that of all those in Team GB curling.
“Winning Olympic gold and also Olympic silver is just so special.
“Eve has been at the forefront of her sport for well over a decade, consistently performing at the highest level and becoming a wonderful role model for all those in sport.
“It would, of course, be fitting if she is recognised again with an honour from Her Majesty.”
Eve Muirhead is the definition of “hard work pays off” and how continuing to pursue your dreams is 💯 worth it.
Bring on that Damehood 💪🏼 👑 👸🏻 #bbcolympics #curling #TeamGB #EveMuirhead #beijing2022
— Georgie Heath (@GeorgieHeath27) February 20, 2022
And Eve has continued to be highly commended from her home patch.
SNP Councillor Mike Williamson of the Highland ward said: “Everybody is really proud of their success.
“Eve’s been trying for so long to get a gold medal and now she’s done it.
“Everybody feels a part of her success.”
SNP MP for Perth and North Perthshire Pete Wishart added: “I want to say a massive congratulations to Perthshire’s very own Eve Muirhead on leading her curling team to Olympic gold.
“Eve is a shining example of how hard work pays off.”
Scottish Conservative councillor John Duff added: “Eve Muirhead’s achievements in the world of international curling have been outstanding and the crowning glory has been the tremendous victory she has had leading her outstanding team to Olympic Gold in Beijing.
“I fully support efforts to nominate Eve for a well deserved UK Honour based on her sporting successes.”
Eve Muirhead MBE
In 2020, Eve spoke in her regular Courier column of her pride in the honour.
The “pleasant surprise” is one she said you can never set out to do – but that is what made it so special for her.
“Because you don’t think about that sort of thing, it kind of surprises you how honoured you feel to be chosen,” she said.
“There aren’t many people in curling who have received these type of honours.
“I’d like to think everything I’ve done to help promote my sport off the ice (including in my Courier column!) has counted as much as what I’ve achieved on the ice.”
Winter Olympic gold
Eve and her teammates Hailey Duff, Vicky Wright and Jen Dodds beat Japan 10-3 in the women’s final on Sunday morning.
The Team GB flagbearer added her new bling to her bronze medal won eight years ago in Sochi.
But there will be no special gold post boxes in the hometowns of the team members.
Fans floated the idea of the curling women being given the same honour as the gold medallists of the London Olypmics.
However, this received a frosty reception from Royal Mail, who said those put in place after London 2012 were a “one-off”.
The win has brought back memories of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, in which skip Rhona Martin led her all-Scottish team to victory.
Six million viewers watched as that team triumphed with a 4-3 win over Switzerland.
And in November that year, each of the team members were honoured with MBEs at Buckingham Palace.
