Curling Gold, Salt Lake City 2002: The Stone of Destiny
Contents
Late one February night in 2002, millions of people across Britain stayed up to watch a sport many barely understood. In the women's curling final at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, Rhona Martin's team, all from Scotland, faced Switzerland. With the last stone of the match, Martin delivered a precise draw to the centre of the house to win 4–3. The press called it the "Stone of Destiny". It was Britain's first Winter Olympic gold medal since 1984. This card tells the story of a night that put curling on the map.
TL;DR
- established At the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, a Great Britain women's curling team, all from Scotland and skipped by Rhona Martin, won the gold medal.
- established The team was Rhona Martin, Debbie Knox, Fiona MacDonald, Janice Rankin and alternate Margaret Morton.
- established In the final, they beat Switzerland 4–3, with Martin's last stone securing the win.
- established It was Great Britain's first Winter Olympic gold medal since Torvill and Dean's ice dance gold in 1984.
- shared The final was watched by a large late-night television audience in Britain, often estimated at around six million, and inspired a surge of interest in curling.
Key Facts
- Event
- Women's curling, Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
- Date
- February 2002
- Skip
- Rhona Martin
- Team
- Rhona Martin, Debbie Knox, Fiona MacDonald, Janice Rankin, Margaret Morton (alternate)
- Final
- Beat Switzerland 4–3
- Nickname for the winning shot
- "The Stone of Destiny"
- Significance
- First British Winter Olympic gold since 1984
A Note on Claims and Evidence
Each major claim carries one of three labels. established means supported by primary records, official bodies or several independent reliable sources. shared means the core fact is sound but sources disagree on details, dates or interpretation. traditional means widely repeated but not traceable to a primary or independent source.
Results are documented by the International Olympic Committee. Television audience figures are estimates.
Timeline
Great Britain wins curling gold at the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix.
Curling returns as a full Olympic sport.
Rhona Martin's team wins gold in Salt Lake City.
British curling teams win silver and bronze in Sochi.
Eve Muirhead's team wins women's gold in Beijing.
Details
A Scottish sport
established Curling developed in Scotland, with early evidence from the sixteenth century, and the Royal Caledonian Curling Club was founded in 1838. Great Britain won the first Olympic curling gold in 1924 in Chamonix. Curling returned as a full medal sport at the 1998 Nagano Games.
The road to gold
established Rhona Martin's team from Scotland represented Great Britain at Salt Lake City. They struggled in the round robin and had to win a tie-breaker to reach the semi-finals, where they beat Canada.
The final
established In the final against Switzerland, the match was tied going into the last end. With the final stone, Martin drew precisely into the house to score the winning point, giving Great Britain a 4–3 victory and the gold medal.
The Stone of Destiny
established Newspapers dubbed Martin's winning shot the "Stone of Destiny", after the ancient coronation stone of Scottish kings. The gold was Britain's first at a Winter Olympics since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in 1984.
Legacy
shared The final, shown late at night in Britain, drew a huge audience and inspired many people to try curling. Scottish curlers have since won further Olympic medals, including gold for Eve Muirhead's women's team in Beijing in 2022.
Did You Know?
- All the 2002 gold medal team were from Scotland.
- Rhona Martin's winning shot was called the "Stone of Destiny".
- It was Britain's first Winter Olympic gold since 1984.
- Great Britain won the first Olympic curling gold in 1924.
- Eve Muirhead's team won gold in 2022.
FAQ
1Who won curling gold in 2002?
Rhona Martin's Great Britain team, all from Scotland.
2Who did they beat?
Switzerland, 4–3.
3What was the Stone of Destiny?
The nickname for Martin's winning final stone.
4Why was it significant?
It was Britain's first Winter Olympic gold since 1984.
5Have Scots won curling gold since?
Yes, Eve Muirhead's team in 2022.
Sources and Further Reading
Primary/Institutional
- International Olympic Committee, Salt Lake City 2002 results
Scholarly/Critical
- David B. Smith, Curling: An Illustrated History (John Donald, 1981)
Caveats: Myths and Disputed Claims
- Do not state television audience figures as precise.
A Sport story