Olympic champion Vicky Wright calls time on full-time curling career

Olympic champion Vicky Wright has retired from curling to fully focus on her nursing career and family life.

The 28-year-old was a pivotal part of the women’s team that struck Olympic gold in Beijing, Team GB’s first in the sport for 20 years.

Olympic debutant Wright played trusty second to Eve Muirhead as she soared to victory alongside fellow first-timers Jennifer Dodds, Hailey Duff and Mili Smith.

Three months later, the Dumfries-born star is contemplating a new phase in life.

“Curling has taken me to many corners of the world and introduced me to some amazing people,” she said.

“I will be forever grateful for the lifelong friends I have made because of curling.

“Over the years I have played with many fantastic teammates, each one of them unique in their own way. I want to thank them all for helping me to be the curler I am today.”

Wright, who first tried the sport aged 12, tasted success at a junior level as an alternate to the Scottish team that won silver at the 2013 World Junior Championships.

Initially curling for Lauren Gray and Hannah Fleming among others, she joined Team Muirhead as an alternate for the 2018-19 season.

Wright was part of the team that secured European silver in 2019 but with the addition of Dodds and then Duff for the 2021-22 season the rink reached new heights, taking European gold at their first major Championship together.

The strength of Muirhead and Wright’s relationship was one of the cornerstones of the team’s incredible success in China.

Muirhead said: “It took a lot of encouragement and persuasion to show Vicky she was one of the best players in the world.

“Vicky is always someone we go to if we're not feeling great because we get great advice, but she's someone who just cares so much about everyone.”

At the start of the pandemic Wright, who studied nursing at Glasgow Caledonian University, returned to the NHS frontline at NHS Forth Valley Hospital.

“My journey to this point has not been without challenges, mainly balancing the demands of training full time with working a few shifts per week in a highly pressured hospital environment,” Wright said.

“Having a strong perspective on life is something I pride myself on and I am incredibly proud of how I achieved my curling goals, particularly in this last year when I kept up my shift work as an NHS Staff Nurse during a global pandemic.

“To turn up at training in the final few months of preparation for the Games on the back of a night shift was a privilege, not a chore.”

Wright was particularly pleased to have surpassed the achievements of partner Greg Drummond, who won silver with David Murdoch at Sochi 2014.

It seems that she may not have thrown her last stone, however.

“Although I am retiring from full time curling, I hope not to be a stranger to the game,” said Wright.

“I plan to keep my eye in and play some games with my friends and who knows…you might see us on the ice at an event next season!”

Sportsbeat 2022