Bruce Mouat let out a Braveheart yell as Britain’s medal drought finally ended at these Winter Olympics.
More than a fortnight after playing his first match, the Scot was at last able to celebrate as the men's curling team won through to the final tomorrow against Sweden.
It guarantees Team GB either gold or silver after a dismal fortnight firing blanks in Beijing.
“The reaction I showed, the scream I did at the end, that was a release of tension and pressure,” Mouat said after he, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan beat champions USA 8-4.
“I think people back in Scotland might have heard it to be honest. It's been a rollercoaster for me.”
Mouat and Jen Dodds had blown a mixed doubles medal when losing the semi-final and bronze play-off.
So there was joy too for Dodds as her women’s four bucked overwhelming odds to reach the last four - also against Sweden, whom they thrashed 8-2 in the pool stages.
They knew beating Russia would only be enough if Japan and Korea also lost.
It came down to the last stone of the last match. Even then they had to come out on top of a three-team tie-break.
“This team have a lot of resilience,” said Vicky Wright, who teamed up with Dodds, Hailey Duff and skip Eve Muirhead to win 9-4.
“That’s one thing we’ve showed all season. I don't think you can turn your back on this team.”
By the time they take to the ice sheet Britain could conceivably already have a medal as Zoe Atkin capped easily their best day so far by qualifying fourth for the freeski halfpipe final.
