Dumfries and Galloway curlers help take Team GB men's side to semi-finals

15/02/22.Hammy McMillan, Grant Hardie and Bobby Lammie (L to R) of Britain compete during the curling men's round robin session 7 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics between Britain and Denmark at the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 13, 2022. PA Images/Xinhua
Hammy McMillan, Grant Hardie and Bobby Lammie have helped take Team GB to a guaranteed semi-final slot. Credit: Xinhua/PA Images

Great Britain's men's curling squad is a step closer to an Olympic medal after a tight 7-6 win over reigning world champions Sweden at the Beijing Aquatics Centre.

The team - which has featured three people from Dumfries and Galloway in its matches; Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan from Stranraer and Dumfries' Grant Hardie - can play their last two matches of the round-robin section secure in the knowledge that they have done enough to reach the last four.

They capitalised on a blistering start, in which they went 3-0 up after the first two ends but had to withstand a late fightback in order to see off their experienced opponents.

It handed the Swedes - who lifted the world crown last year beating the British team, captained by Edinburgh's Bruce Moat - their first defeat of the round-robin phase, although Niklas Edin's men have also guaranteed their progression to the semi-finals.

In the women's game, the British team, which features Stranraer's Vicky Wright, kept her hopes of a second Olympic medal alive after steering her women's team to an emphatic 10-4 win over Japan.

Captain Eve Muirhead, from Perth, went into the game knowing victory was vital to maintaining their semi-final ambitions after a defeat to Canada on Monday left them adrift of the top four.

Once again her team showed resilience in adversity to force a Japanese concession with two ends remaining, and set them up nicely for another crucial showdown on Wednesday with hosts China.

Stranraer's Vicky Wright is still in with a chance of a medal. Credit: Xinhua/PA Images

"We knew that was a very important match for us today and we came out with a lot of fire," said Muirhead, who won bronze in Sochi in 2014. "We had a great chat after the loss to China and we knew the importance of bouncing back."

Muirhead's side got off to a dream start with a three in the first end and another triple in the third end effectively finished the match as a contest before the halfway stage.

"I think what we did very well was we didn't get complacent," added Muirhead.

"We kept control of every end and every stone and saw the game out.

"I think our last two games are going to be tough. It's always a lot harder when you've got the home crowd against you. But we're enjoying every minute of it and working very hard as a team."

The women's team will next take on host nation China tomorrow while the men will play Russia.