SOCHI DIARY

No longer simply content with nicking their coveted national cross-country sprint title from under their noses, it appears Andrew Musgrave is now intent on auditioning for Norway’s hit equivalent of Britain’s Got Talent.

Musgrave has been the centre of Norwegian media attention at the Laura Cross-Country and Biathlon Center above Rosa Khutor this week as he prepares to make his Sochi debut in today’s 10km sprint.

Musgrave is fluent enough in Norwegian to be studying for a degree in civil engineering in Trondheim but took the chance to stress his Scottish roots during one interview when he regaled Norway’s broadcast media with the opening lines of The Proclaimers’ ‘500 Miles’.

Julia Lipnitskaya, who helped Russia to their first gold of Sochi 2014 in figure skating’s team event, became the youngest gold medallist in the sport in 78 years at the age of 15 years and 249 days.

German Maxi Herber was 21 days younger winning the pairs event in 1936.

It is a time-honoured tradition at the start of the curling event for the first group of competitors to march into the venue behind bagpipers.

And yesterday’s Sochi opener between GB’s men and Russia was no different — except for the fact the musicians hail from Moscow.

The City Pipes band consists of two selftaught pipers and two drummers, who have been together for 18 months and treated the crowd to a rousing rendition of Scotland the Brave.