Funding rise for winter Olympians heartening

It was great news for curling and for me personally to hear that our funding hasn’t just been preserved, it’s actually been increased, for the next four-year Olympic cycle. You can never take it for granted. It can be very Olympic-orientated and neither the men or women came back from PyeongChang with a medal, so it was a worry.

But I’m glad UK Sport valued the consistency that we’ve shown over the four years and the number of European and World medals we’ve won. They definitely got a return in their investment.

A lot of things are in place to grow the sport and increase our success – not least the new curling academy in Stirling.

It would have been a real blow to lose funding so soon after moving in there.

Unfortunately wheelchair curling suffered and so too did short-track skating. To go from nearly £5 million to nothing is pretty brutal.

A special funding plan is being put in place for Elise Christie but, going forward, you can’t help but think even more pressure will now be put on her shoulders.

Not only will she be skating to keep her own career on track, she’ll have the responsibility of trying to win funding back for the whole sport.

Graeme McDowell has my sympathies after his clubs went missing earlier in the week.

Unfortunately, it is an occupational hazard when you spend your life going from airport to airport.

I would say that it’s as high as one in three flights that something goes astray.

As recently as a couple of months ago I had to go five days without my luggage in Texas.

Our brush bags are like golf bag carriers and it’s been known for us to have to borrow brushes at the start of a tournament.

Thankfully, unless you’re superstitious, it isn’t nearly as big a deal as playing with a different set of golf clubs.

I can understand why McDowell chose to skip Open qualifying when his clubs hadn’t arrived in time.

I had a great time down at Wimbledon with my brother’s girlfriend, Lucy.

We had tickets for the Members’ Enclosure and Centre Court. It was a shame we didn’t get to see Andy Murray but he did the right thing in listening to his body – and his support team.

Five-set matches in this sort of heat have the potential to set you back if your fitness isn’t 100%.

I felt knackered watching the likes of Nadal playing – and I was in the shade!

It puts into perspective how fit these guys are.

Just in case you were in any doubt, I can confirm that England has definitely been struck by World Cup fever.

You can’t get away from it.

I think I’ve heard that “Football’s Coming Home” song enough to last a lifetime!

I’ve got an appointment on Monday with the surgeon who operated on my hip.

Everything feels as if it’s progressing as it should be and I’m hoping to find out the timescale for getting back on the ice.