Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Liveupdated1645376993

Winter Olympics closing ceremony LIVE: Team GB women win first gold medal in curling as Beijing Games end

Follow latest updates from Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 as Team GB chase their first medal of the Games

Karl Matchett
Sunday 20 February 2022 12:09 EST
Comments
Watch live outside China’s National Stadium as Winter Olympics come to close

Great Britain’s women, led by Eve Muirhead, went one better than the men in their gold medal match against Japan at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The men’s team fell short yesterday when Sweden claimed gold to deny Bruce Mouat and his team. Swedish skip Niklas Edin proved too good and repeated their victory over Great Britain in a 2014 semi-final. Muirhead overcame almost impossible odds to steer her women’s curling team into the Olympic final where she completed an incredible journey to finally fulfil an ambition that appeared beyond her after a decade at the top of her sport. Team coach Murdoch put her chances of salvaging victory at “less than 10 per cent” after shipping four shots in a disastrous opening end to defending Olympic champions Sweden, but they clawed back to clinch a thrilling 12-11 victory in an extra end.

In the final, Muirhead guided Great Britain to their first and only gold of the Games, beating Japan 10-3 to claim the joint-biggest margin of victory in a final since the sport was reintroduced in ‘98. With all events now closed and the medals handed out, it only remains for the closing ceremony to take place and the baton to be passed on to Italy.

Follow live coverage from the Winter Olympics below:

1645326511

Winter Olympics curling final: Team GB 8-2 Japan - 8th end

Great Britain’s accuracy is up at 90 percent for the game, while Japan’s is down at 82 percent.

Eve Muirhead, Vicky Wright, Jennifer Dodds and Hailey Duff are closing in on victory.

Jack Rathborn20 February 2022 03:08
1645326018

Winter Olympics curling final: Team GB 8-2 Japan - 8th end

What an error for Japan, they leave just one in the house.

Muirhead can snatch four... she does!

It’s FOUR! The cheers are wild, that might just do it.

Jack Rathborn20 February 2022 03:00
1645325974

Winter Olympics curling final: Team GB 4-2 Japan - 7th end

(Getty Images)
(AP)
(AP)
Jack Rathborn20 February 2022 02:59
1645325893

Winter Olympics curling final: Team GB 4-2 Japan - 7th end

A composed stone from Great Britain to send their yellow into Japan’s red, which rolls out of the house.

The double is available to Japan with that final stone. A crucial moment in the match here.

Jack Rathborn20 February 2022 02:58
1645324990

Winter Olympics curling final: Team GB 4-2 Japan - after 6th end

Japan oversweep, GB let off again.

The mistake is not punished. They only concede one back.

Jack Rathborn20 February 2022 02:43
1645324732

Winter Olympics curling final: Team GB 4-1 Japan - 6th end

GB land another blow, taking out a Japanese red stone, leaving four yellow stones in the house.

Just two stones left for Japan, can they take out two here?

Japan instead move onto the back yellow. Can Muirhead move it?

Why take the risk? Just rest on top of the red and move on. A test for GB here.

Jack Rathborn20 February 2022 02:38
1645324268

Winter Olympics curling final: Team GB 4-1 Japan - 6th end

A relaxed half-time team talk for GB. It’s all going to plan.

Japan with a bit of misfortune, a red cannons into another and both sail away.

GB take out the first of Japan’s corner guards. Smart.

(REUTERS)
(Getty Images)
Jack Rathborn20 February 2022 02:31
1645323712

Winter Olympics curling final: Team GB 4-1 Japan - end of 5th end

Still a chance for Yoshida to get two here.

All in the balance with Japan’s final stone.

That’s unlucky! Japan just miss out and they gift GB another point.

It’s 4-1 at the half-way point.

(Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)
(REUTERS)
Jack Rathborn20 February 2022 02:21
1645323259

Winter Olympics curling final: Team GB 3-1 Japan - 5th end

Japan have overswept here, with three stones left.

GB with an opening, Japan have the hammer.

Jack Rathborn20 February 2022 02:14
1645322609

Winter Olympics curling final: Team GB 3-1 Japan - after 4th end

Muirhead trying to set up a two-point play, but the yellow blocks Japan’s way into the button.

It’s clustered in and around the button right now with three GB stones and two Japan stones.

GB nudge one more ahead after four ends.

Jack Rathborn20 February 2022 02:03

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in