Bruce Mouat's mum has spoken of her pride as her son scored Team GB's first Winter Olympic medal and was named flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony
Mouat's rink were edged out of gold by five-time world champion, Sweden's Niklas Edin, in a tense and tactical final thriller.
But hopes are already high the youngest skip in the men's tournament – just 27 - can turn silver into gold in four years’ time.
"We're all so phenomenally proud of him," said Marie Mouat, whose son is one of over 1,000 athletes able to train full-time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering technology, science and medical support thanks to vital National Lottery funding.
"They are all disappointed but a silver medal at the Olympics is very special. Bruce always set his goals high and coming second best is pretty good.
"It will take a bit time to recover but he's pretty resilient, and he will dust himself down, pick himself up and be absolutely proud of what the boys have achieved.
"His team is amazing and he is an inspiration. And I just feel that he has got so much more to give. He'll absolutely come back from this and just keep fighting until he gets that gold medal."
Unlike team-mates Hammy McMillan, whose father won the world title and competed at the Olympics, and his cousin Grant Hardie, Mouat claims he doesn't come from a curling family, taking up the sport as a youngster and winning the world junior title.
"We've always believed that but just a couple of years ago, we had been clearing my mum's loft, and came across an old curling broom from Kirkhill Curling Club, which dates back to the early 1900s," added Marie.
There's been no busier athlete in Beijing than Mouat, who has spent over 40 hours in competition, after also finishing fourth in the mixed curling competition with partner Jennifer Dodds.
He follows fellow curler Eve Muirhead - whose women's team soared to a brilliant gold medal on Sunday morning - who carried the British flag in the Opening Ceremony,
"It's a massive honour," he said.
"While we, as a team, didn't get the colour of medal we wanted, that apart I don’t think I could have taken more from this first Olympic experience.
"I'm also very proud on behalf of our sport that we have led the British team out at the start and finish of the Games.
"The Olympics represent our greatest opportunity to promote our sport and I am hoping we can fully capitalise on that in the weeks, months and years to come."
National Lottery players are one of the biggest supporters of Team GB and ParalympicsGB winter athletes and raise more than £30 million each week for good causes including grassroots and elite sport. Discover the positive impact playing The National Lottery has at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk and get involved by using the hashtag: #TNLAthletes
