Winter Olympics: Great Britain reach semi-finals of women’s curling competition

Great Britain made the semi-finals of the Winter Olympics women’s curling competition in nail-biting fashion after results came together perfectly in their favour.

The quartet led by Eve Muirhead defeated the Russian Olympic Committee 9-4 but then had to wait anxiously for Sweden to overcome South Korea 7-4 to make absolutely sure of their progression.

Team GB also needed Switzerland to beat Japan in Thursday’s final round robin fixtures – and both results went in their favour.

It took Britain through in third position along with Sweden, Switzerland and Japan, with Canada eliminated on the Draw Shot Challenge rankings. 

Team GB coach David Murdoch congratulates the team on their 9-4 win over the ROC – but they still faced an anxious wait for the conclusion of the Sweden vs South Korea match

Vicky Wright (centre) sends a stone down the rink during the dramatic finale to the group

Canada defeated Denmark 10-4 but that ultimately wasn’t enough. 

Before each match in the competition, each team delivers a single stone and the resulting distance is measured. This Last Stone Draw (LSD) determines which team has the choice of delivering the first or second stone in the opening end of the match.

But an average of all these Last Stone Draw shots is taken in round robin competitions and, if teams finish with an identical record, this is used to decide who goes through.

With Great Britain, Japan and Canada all finishing with a record of five wins and four defeats from their nine matches, GB and Japan progressed to the semi-finals as a result of a better draw shot ranking by the finest of margins. 

Great Britain will take on Sweden in their semi-final, while Switzerland face Japan.

Muirhead said: ‘We had to win that game today, we fought our hearts out. Nothing was within our control except our own game. We had one eye on the other games.

‘To get a semi-final place by about a centimetre on the draw shot!’

More to follow.