EVE Muirhead completed a full set of World Championship medals in Beijing yesterday, with her team also securing their place at next year’s Winter Olympics when they beat Sweden 6-4 to claim bronze.

It was the Scotland women’s first medal success at the event since Muirhead, along with two of her current team-mates, Anna Sloan and Vicki Adams, claimed gold in 2013. Muirhead was also a finalist with a completely different line-up seven years ago.

“We came out fighting because we really wanted it, said the 26-year-old, who is joined by Lauren Gray at lead in this year’s team. “It’s been a tough week, so to come away with a medal is really satisfying.

“We knew Sweden would be tough but we were gutsy in our determination to get the win and stealing in the last two ends was a demonstration of that. We are so proud to bring a medal back to Scotland.”

The Scots had already guaranteed curling involvement for Team GB at next year’s Winter Olympics in South Korea by reaching the play-offs, and this victory guaranteed their own involvement in Pyeongchang on the basis of the criteria laid out by Scottish and British Curling performance director Graeme Thompson. He said after last month’s Scottish Championships that if a team won medals at both the European and World Championships this season, and were highest placed in the world rankings, they would have earned the right to go.

Team Muirhead have been perennial medallists at the Europeans for the last seven seasons, collecting another bronze on home ice at Braehead in November, while fifth place in the rankings puts them well ahead of their closest domestic rivals.

The way they claimed their medal was a powerful indicator that they are on course to perform well in Korea, too, after having made significant changes this season, including recruiting four-time world champion Glenn Howard as their tactical coach.

He was full of praise for the way the team handled the pressure against Anna Hasselborg’s Swedes who had beaten them in the round-robin stages and in the first round of play-off matches, so denying the Scots a crack at the gold medal.

“From our perspective, the last seven ends were the best seven ends we have played this year,” he said. “Everything came together from team dynamics to communication, to rock placement and execution, it was a pleasure to watch.”

Muirhead’s brilliant draw with her final stone of the ninth end earned the steal that put the Scots in front for the first time in two matches against the Swedes, but Howard was even more pleased with the way they collectively closed out the win.

“The first two or three ends were really tough but we made a ton of good curling shots in those next seven ends,” he said. “The 10th end was point perfect by every player all the way through and then good things happen.”

Howard’s native Canada won their first gold medal at these championships for nine years after Rachel Homan’s rink beat Russia, led by Anna Sidorova, 8-3 in the final to maintain their tournament-long 100 per cent record. However, as well as beating the Swedes at the third time of asking, the Scots defeated the Russians earlier in the event and while he indicated that there remains considerable scope for improvement, Howard suggested the return to medal-winning form is perfectly timed. It offers encouragement, but also a reminder of how much work the Scottish players have to do in an increasingly competitive environment.

“To come away with a medal is absolutely fantastic,” Howard added. “Obviously we had our ups and downs this week. We weren’t really at our best but they showed mental fortitude, and obviously the desire, came out in this game and really wanted it. They gave it 150 per cent and that shows it is in there. It is something we are going to build on for the coming year.”

Gray, who was the team’s alternate when they won gold in 2013 and bronze at the Olympics, said: “It’s a completely different experience to being on the bench where you probably have more nerves because you can’t influence what is going on. I had to put all the new things “I have learned into practice and it was very tight but we did it. I was just overjoyed and emotional – everyone was quite emotional to clinch it at the end.

“The other girls have competed at many World Championships, whereas this was my first one on the ice, so it is extra, extra special for me getting my first world medal at my first World Championships.

“We were all absolutely overjoyed to win it, I am sure it never gets old winning a medal at this level of your sport.”