Team GB's women curlers hold their nerve to edge out China in tense round-robin clash

The GB team were 5-3 down after six ends but skip Eve Muirhead led her team to a revival, and clinched victory with the final stone of sudden-death

Eve Muirhead in action for Team GB on Thursday night (Getty)

Great Britain’s Women Curling team narrowly edged out victory their third round-robin clash at the 2018 Winter Olympics, beating China 8-7 in Gangneung.

The GB team were 5-3 down after six ends but skip Eve Muirhead led her team to a revival, and clinched victory with the final stone of sudden-death.

Muirhead’s rink had lost 7-4 to the United States earlier on Thursday and won their opening game of the tournament against Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) 10-3 before securing triumph late on Thursday night.

The 27-year-old Scot, who helped the team win Olympic bronze in Sochi 2014, claimed that this afternoon’s victory was due to the mental strength they showed.

“It was really crucial we got a win out there having lost earlier, she told BBC. “I think the team showed great character and great guts.”

GB made a sluggish start, though, with the side lacking their usual sharpness and by the conclusion of the fourth end, they had conceded three stones to trail 4-2.

The struggle continued through the next few ends as Muirhead’s rink stared the prospect of a second consecutive defeat in the face, falling 5-3 behind.

But the team pulled it back going into the last few ends of the game before China levelled it up one more time at 7-7 after 10 ends.

And it was Muirhead, with a reputation for composure and class when push comes to shove, who helped lead Britain to victory in a tense sudden-death.

This, Britain’s second victory in three games at the Winter Olympics, puts them third in a 10-team group, from which the top four qualify.

Muirhead and Co will now prepare to face Denmark and South Korea on Saturday.