As Mili Smith touched back down at Edinburgh Airport on Tuesday night it was maybe starting to sink in. Maybe.
The arrivals door shifted open ever so slowly and patiently - perhaps impatiently - waiting on the other side were the beaming faces of family and friends.
They had lined-up for the homecoming of a team that has inspired and gripped a nation by winning curling gold at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Flashing cameras and spotlight attention welcomed Mili, skip Eve Muirhead, Jen Dodds, Vicky Wright and Hailey Duff.
For Smith, the fanfare and attention was a far cry from the quieter upbringing at the farm in the Perthshire village of Guildtown but there was an importance in absorbing every moment of it.
“It still hasn’t sunk in that I’m an Olympic gold medallist,” said Mili, a former RDM Primary School and Perth Academy student.
“I don’t know when it will. Seeing everyone greet us at the airport on Tuesday night was the beginning of it I think.”
Mili’s path to Olympic stardom was not an overnight job. It was the culmination of years and years of hard work, tracing back to the days of joining dad Dave, a former world champion, on the ice at every opportunity.
She was a Perth Junior Curling Club member and had fine sporting company in her brothers Cammy and Kyle, who are also Team GB Olympians.
At 23, Mili was the youngest member of the five-strong team and was in Beijing as the alternate. While not on the ice during competition, her impact has been highlighted on more than one occasion by fellow Perthshire star and legendary leader Muirhead.
Stone-matching, tactical work and simply bringing positive energy to the team were just some of the roles that aided success.
“It means a lot to me to hear from the team how much I mean to them,” Mili told the PA this week.
“I am always just comfortable being myself and try to bring energy to the girls because we have so much fun and they always play well when they feel good.
“We all work so hard and have done for years in the hope to get to where we are so, every day, I tried to remember that and make the most of things because it’s all over before you know it.
“I also had so much fun and work really well with our coach Kristian (Lindström). He has worked wonders for all five of us and the other girls who were in the squad. He works so hard and is so knowledgeable about every aspect and detail of the sport.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better person to spend time around. We had a great trip and I know all five of us can’t praise him enough.”
Watching her team-mates from the back of the ice was, at times, a rather nerve-wracking experience for Smith - and especially the extra-end, semi-final triumph over Sweden which had, entertainingly, initially finished at 11-11.
“My nerves handled themselves until the semi final,” laughed Mili. “That was the most intense, unpredictable game I can remember - and I’ve watched a lot of curling over the years!
“When we won, it was the best feeling and we all felt so grateful to be going into that final. We knew the support we had regardless of the result but we wanted to do our best and we knew we could do that.”
The final, thankfully, was an easier watch for Mili and the thousands and thousands of spectators perched in front of televisions back home in Perthshire and beyond. Team GB seized control early doors to defeat Japan 10-3.
It was a golden moment and Mili remembers quickly navigating down onto the ice to grab hold of celebrating team-mates, before later stepping up to the top of the podium.
“The girls played an amazing game of curling in the final,” she said. “They lapped up the whole experience and did everyone so proud.
“The final was a less stressful game to watch than the semi final against Sweden. We had a great start from the first end so that settled the nerves.
“We knew so long as we kept doing the simple things really well that we would be in a good place and that is exactly what happened.
“The moment we won was so surreal. We celebrated with the coaches and I ran down to see the girls as soon as I could. I just felt so proud and emotional for them because I know how hard everybody has worked for it.”
The past week has been somewhat of a whirlwind and, after jetting back into the UK, the team appeared on numerous television and radio programmes.
And Mili hopes that the sport will see the long-term benefits of such exposure.
She said: “The support from home has been incredible. I never imagined this much awareness and support would all kick off.
“The sport tends to be small and many people don’t even know what it is. To have random people coming up and congratulating us felt so special.
“I think the men’s silver and our results this week have done something truly amazing for the sport.
“I honestly hope so many people try it, especially young kids in school. That’s when I got into the sport and I have travelled the globe, met so many amazing people and friends, and I’ve made memories that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.
“All of my experiences and things I’ve learned through this sport and the British Curling programme have made me who I am and helped in every way.”
Mili has had little time to think about next steps in the sport and, for now, it really is about enjoying such a special achievement.
She said: “I have such a love for the sport and feel like I do have a lot more to bring, but at the moment I’m going to celebrate and take everything in.
“It has been so overwhelming and the team has been quite in demand since we got back. I’m looking forward to some rest and time with my favourite people.
“I’m so excited to be home, and will be sure to make some plans to celebrate soon.”
