Britain clinches women's curling gold at Beijing Olympics

Athletes of Great Britain pose for photos during awarding ceremony after the curling women's gold medal game of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics between Japan and Great Britain at National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang)

BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Britain bagged its sole gold at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Sunday when they beat Japan for the women's curling title.

On the closing day of the Games, Britain, Sochi 2014 bronze medalists, beat PyeongChang bronze medalists Japan 10-3 for the delegation's second medal at the Games, following the runners-up finish in men's curling.

The British team, skippered by Eve Muirhead, scored two points with the hammer in the first end, and swallowed two points back-to-back in the following ends, taking the lead 4-1 in the first half.

Japan, spearheaded by Satsuki Fujisawa, managed to break through Britain's sound defense and score one point in the sixth end, but two amazing shots by Muirhead in the following end won Britain four points, overriding Japan 8-2.

Japan added one point on the scoreboard in the eighth end, but Britain scored two points in the ninth, forcing Japan to surrender before the break of the last end.

Britain lost to Japan in the bronze medal game at PyeongChang 2018.

"Coming in fourth in PyeongChang was incredibly tough. It took me a long time to get over that and even now I still think of that shot," said Muirhead.

"It's a moment that I've been waiting for for so many years. I've been close but I just haven't been over the line. The girls have helped me become a better curler, they've also helped me become a better person and without them, I wouldn't be here. And it's such an incredible, incredible moment."

"Like we knew, this was an opportunity that we might never get again. So, I definitely made the most of it. To stand on the podium and get that gold medal around your neck is honestly the moment you will never forget," she added.

Athletes of Great Britain celebrate after the curling women's gold medal game of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics between Japan and Great Britain at National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

Vicky Wright (R) of Great Britain competes during the curling women's gold medal game of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics between Japan and Great Britain at National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)

Vicky Wright (C) of Great Britain competes during the curling women's gold medal game of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics between Japan and Great Britain at National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)

Athletes of Great Britain hug after the curling women's gold medal game of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics between Japan and Great Britain at National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)