Team Muirhead qualified for the women’s curling semi-finals in dramatic style after they beat the Russian Olympic Committee 9-4 and other results went their way across the final round robin games.
After losing to China yesterday, Eve Muirhead’s rink lost the ability to control their own destiny.
But a win for Switzerland over Japan and Sweden’s victory over Korea saw Team GB sneak into the top four by the barest of margins, earning a shot at a medal, and knocking powerhouses Canada out.
It came down to the draw shot challenge, which takes place before every game and rewards teams closest to the button, with Team GB edging above Japan into third by less than a centimetre.
Eve Muirhead, who won bronze at Sochi 2014, will have the chance to become the first Brit to win two curling medals at her fourth Olympic Winter Games.
A semi-final with the Swedes, who Team GB beat convincingly 8-2 in the round robin stage, awaits on Friday.
And it was their opposition who ensured Muirhead and Co progressed as their game against Korea was the last one out on the ice, coming down to the final stone.
“I'll be honest, I was following the other matches,” said Muirhead, who found out her ultimate fate on a TV screen in the post-match interview area.
“I knew that our job was to win and that was our first priority, but it’s very hard to concentrate fully and I had one eye looking across at the games.
“I hope I didn’t show it! You’ve got to keep an eye out when you know you’re either in or out.”
Having missed out on the first six qualifying spots at last year’s World Championships, Muirhead has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround in her team who will now at least play for bronze.
Into the semi-finals 🙌@Team_Muirhead have reached the final four!#TeamGB | #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/D7TIOUarsG
— Team GB (@TeamGB) February 17, 2022
“This team has a lot of resilience,” she said. “We've come from a squad of nine people to a team that have won the Europeans, qualified for the Olympic Games and now have a semi-final spot.
“I don't think you can turn your back on this team. We've shown a lot of character, a lot of grit and determination and we fully deserve the spot.”
Muirhead put her team 2-0 up against the Russians before one shot went to the rink with the hammer in the next four ends.
The Brits stole one in the sixth to make it 5-2 before the ROC took shots in back to back ends to close the gap to 5-4.
They had to wait but @Team_Muirhead are through to the semi-finals 💪#TeamGB | #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/SQROO6yPyM
— Team GB (@TeamGB) February 17, 2022
Muirhead held on and scored four in the penultimate end and fists bumped with an end to spare, with Sweden’s steal of one in the ninth helping the pendulum swing Britain’s way.
"I always say that the round-robin is one competition and the playoffs is another one," said Muirhead.
"There are things we need to reset but I definitely think that as a team, we are a playoffs team.
"We've proven that we're capable of winning that gold medal as a group, so we will go hard tomorrow."
Muirhead and Swedish skip Anna Hasselborg have shared many a battle over the years, with the Swedes taking 10-5 semi-final victory at the last Olympics on the way to gold.
"This will be my third Olympic semi-final but I don't want it to go the way that 2018 went," said Muirhead.
"That was tough but I believe in us as a team, with the amount we've practiced, the amount we've trained, the amount we trust each other and enjoy it.
"All we can do is curl the way we have been all week and if we carry on that and carry on the momentum, we definitely won't be far away."