Curling is in the Muirhead Blood

TRENTINO – Sometimes you can spot a star from the youngest age. This was true for the current generation of the Muirhead sporting dynasty, who live and breath curling.

Thomas Muirhead of Great Britain, explained his background, “It’s really a way of life. We used to be dragged round ice rinks as young kids and picked it up ourselves. I was watching my dad from when I was born.”

Thomas’ father, Gordon, competed in the 1992 Olympics and won silver twice at the World Championships. More recently, his sister, Eve, was skip (captain) for GB at the Vancouver Olympics and is currently preparing for Sochi. 

It seems that Thomas is also destined for the Olympics: “My goal is the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. It is quite the inspiration to watch Eve, to see how she has done so well from a young age. I will try to live up to it!”

The Muirhead prowess does not stop there, as Thomas’ brother, Glen, is also a top class curler and likewise is aiming for 2018, where the Muirheads could provide three members for team GB. Until then, the brothers remain “great rivals”, in Thomas’ words.

Thomas will eventually go into agriculture, back to the very roots of curling. He is studying at Scotland’s Rural University College in Edinburgh and was quick to praise how supportive they have been, “They are great at supporting us, including any time we need off for competition. Any work that needs to be put in, they are willing to go the extra mile for us.”

Toby Fisher, FISU Young Reporter