Olympic Curling Champion Returns After 4-Year Retirement

Four years after hanging up her curling broom as an Olympic champion, Eve Muirhead is lacing up again for one more shot at glory.

The Scottish curler retired in 2022 after finally capturing her Olympic gold medal in Beijing, completing a 12-year quest that made her an Olympic, World, and European champion. Now 36, she's announcing her return for the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, driven by a new mission in mixed doubles curling.

"I've got unfinished business within mixed doubles," Muirhead told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview. "I've got that competitive drive back, and I want to return stronger than ever."

Muirhead's comeback isn't just about personal achievement. She's partnering with Bobby Lammie to help Team GB finally capture a medal in mixed doubles, an event where British teams have placed fourth at the last two Olympics, heartbreakingly close to the podium.

Her four years away from competitive curling were anything but idle. Muirhead wrote a book, managed a professional curling team, ran a marathon in 3 hours and 25 minutes, and competed in Hyrox fitness events.

"I'm probably the fittest I've ever been right now," she says with a smile. The time off allowed her to recover from the mental health struggles she faced before her Beijing victory.

Why This Inspires

Muirhead's return carries a powerful message for female athletes everywhere. She's determined to show that stepping away doesn't mean stepping down forever.

"I really want to be one of the role models to bring them back, to keep them and rebuild that desire," she explains. She points to legends like Serena Williams and Lindsey Vonn who returned to competition after breaks, often performing even better than before.

British Curling has created a new dedicated training program for mixed doubles, giving athletes like Muirhead the support they need. The organization has also accommodated her move to England, proving that high-performance sport can adapt to athletes' changing lives.

The 2030 Olympics will mark 20 years since her Olympic debut in Vancouver as a fresh-faced 19-year-old. Now, as a veteran champion, she's calling this "phase two" of her career.

"Everyone who knows me knows I never do anything half-hearted," Muirhead says. "I bent over backwards for Beijing; I put in every ounce of dedication, work, sweat, blood, tears, and I'm determined to do that again."

For women in sports wondering if they can come back after a break, Eve Muirhead is proving the answer is a resounding yes.