Competing for Scotland in Riga in March, Muirhead secured the world title with the final stone to propel her team, which also included Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams and Claire Hamilton, to the position of favourites in the sport for next year's Winter Olympics.

But the 23-year-old says it was last summer's Olympics that gave her the push she needed to secure the gold, particularly after the disappointment of the last Winter Games where the nation failed to qualify for the semi-finals.


"I've got a lot of good memories [from Vancouver 2010]," Muirhead explained.

"[But] the results were disappointing.

"We went in as medal hopefuls and didn't come away with a medal.

"When you look back you think you could have done better.

"There are a lot of regrets.

"When you see what it takes to win medals, me personally, I don't think I did enough.

"I was lucky enough to go to London during the Summer Olympics and that was a massive inspiration, kind of the kick of the bum I needed to train harder, work harder, practice more and that's what I've done.

"I've made so many sacrifices over the past year to make that happen.

"And I know what I did to become world champion.

"I've just got to make sure I continue that."

So far it has been "a good summer" for Muirhead but she knows she cannot rest on her laurels if she wants to realise her dreams of winning an Olympic medal - the only thing, she says, that is missing from her collection.


"It's been a good summer," she said here.

"Lots of hard training.

"Knowing the Olympics is coming up in February you can take the foot off the pedal.

"The main event is still to come.

"We know as a team how to deal with major competitions and how to win them.

"Hopefully we can emulate what we did at the Worlds.

"We have a big target on our back being world champion but we will make that into a positive."

Britain last won a medal in curling at Salt Lake City 2002 when Muirhead's fellow Scot Rhona Martin skipped her team to victory in women's event and the current world champion said she is excited to be flying the flag for her nation.

"Scotland has good tradition for curlers," Muirhead said.

"It's great to represent Scotland at European and world level, but to get the chance to represent Britain is extra special."

Britain has already secured five athletes slots for Sochi 2014 for a women's curling team.

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