By Lana Mackay
Bruce Mouat says Team Mouat are fully focused on completing their medal set with Olympic gold in 2026.
Team Mouat are the reigning World, European and Scottish curling champions and they are already through to the 2024 World Championships. The tournament in Switzerland gives them the chance to gain qualification points for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.
Team Mouat (Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan and Bruce Mouat) won Great Britain a silver medal at the men’s team event at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, and their skip says they are desperate to go one step further next time.
“I guess the next big thing we’re missing is the Olympic gold. We’ve got a tough road ahead of us over the next two years.
"Luckily, we’ve already qualified for the Worlds, so that’s the first hurdle we’ve crossed. In Scotland we have a lot of competition between in-house names, so we have to beat them first.
“The aim for this team has always been the Olympic gold. We got so close last time around; it would be amazing to feel what it’s like to actually win that final.”
It’s been another impressive year for the team. In April they produced a brilliant display in the final of the World Championships in Ottawa to defeat the hosts Canada and claim their first world title. Team Mouat have now won four consecutive European Championships following their thrilling 6-5 final victory in Aberdeen against Sweden in November.
Bruce said: “For me it was like pure relief and satisfaction in one moment. You’ve trained so hard for a moment like that.
"You try to soak it all up but it’s impossible as it happens so quickly and there are so many things you need to do after the final. Winning the worlds was the best moment of my career by a country mile.”
Bruce, 29, says winning the European Championships on home soil with friends and family around made that experience even more special: “It felt very homely and social. Friends and family came over to watch so it was really nice to have that environment in Aberdeen. We’ve played there so many times but that’s the best experience I’ve had for sure.”
Reflecting on 2023, he said “This year has been a bit of a rollercoaster. We’ve done really well in championships which has been great - obviously, we’re getting to reap the rewards of that and then doing tour events as well, so it’s been kind of up and down.
“It’s been nice to see our progression through championships and we’ve obviously learnt from each of the ones we’ve done before. The Europeans seems to be our favourite event – four out of four so far so we love that one!”
