Eve Muirhead, the 36-year-old Scottish curler and four-time Olympian, has announced her return to competitive curling after a four-year hiatus. The Beijing Winter Olympics gold medallist retired in 2022, concluding a 15-year career marked by multiple Olympic appearances and a world mixed doubles title.

Muirhead plans to compete in mixed doubles alongside Bobby Lammie, a two-time Olympic silver medallist. The pair won the mixed doubles world championship in 2022 and are now aiming to qualify for the 2030 Winter Games in Alpes. Their reunification signals a renewed ambition to build on their previous success at the international level.

Reflecting on her initial retirement, Muirhead stated that achieving Olympic gold marked the culmination of her career goals and that stepping away was necessary due to the mental and physical toll of competing through four Olympic cycles. She emphasized that time away from the sport provided her with valuable space to alleviate pressure and rediscover the joy of training and competition.

During her hiatus, Muirhead remained involved in the sporting community, serving as Team GB’s chef de mission at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. She said the experience reignited her competitive spirit and reminded her of emotions connected to elite sport that she had not felt for some time. This renewed connection motivated her decision to return to the ice.

Muirhead described feeling physically strong and mentally refreshed, asserting that she would only re-enter competitive curling if she believed she could perform at the necessary level. She acknowledged that her approach to the sport would differ this time, driven by passion rather than pressure.

The pair’s pursuit of Olympic qualification will be closely watched within the curling world, as both athletes possess significant experience and have previously achieved top results. Their comeback highlights the ongoing appeal and challenges of sustaining performance at the highest levels of winter sport.