The one lesson I’ve learned from life

EVE MUIRHEAD

EVE MUIRHEAD, 32, is an Olympic champion, having captained Great Britain’s curling team to gold at last year’s Beijing Winter Olympics. She came third in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award in December, after announcing her retirement in August. She lives in Stirling.

GOLD MEDALS DON’T STOP SELF-DOUBT

Being at the Sports Personality of the Year Awards at the end of last year felt surreal. i’ve watched it since i was a young child but i never once thought: ‘That’ll be me one day.’ To be nominated was a shock and then to finish third was an even bigger one.

it was a real pinch-me moment. i was surrounded by all these sporting legends and was looking around thinking: ‘Should i really be here?’

i had to get a grip of my imposter syndrome, so i said to myself: ‘You’ve got an Olympic gold medal, eve!’ i’m not sure being Olympic champion has sunk in — it’s a weird feeling. And it hasn’t banished my imposter syndrome. Being Olympic champion doesn’t change me as a person: i’m still eve!

What made the last Olympics — my fourth — so special, aside from the gold medal, was that we enjoyed it.

i’ve been curling since i was nine, and i’ve always been pretty fearless as a competitor. But when i was in my late 20s, around the time of PyeongChang Olympics in 2018, i became afraid to lose. i was putting too much pressure on myself. The fact it was my third Olympics definitely influenced this.

We didn’t perform well (the team came fourth) but i realised i had to change my attitude. in the lead-up to Beijing, i went back to basics and my love for the sport. i was more chilled out and that made the whole team perform better. As captain, it was my responsibility to set the tone. enjoyment brings success.

i feel lucky to have been able to retire on the biggest career high. There was nothing more i could do in curling so it was time for the next chapter. At first, it was tough not having a routine. But i’ve discovered the joy of being in charge of your own time. each day can look completely different — and that’s exciting.

■ EVE is Captain, North & Midlands, for Doddie Aid, raising money for the late rugby player Doddie Weir’s motor neurone disease charity.