Winter Olympics closing ceremony LIVE: Team GB women win first gold medal in curling as Beijing Games end

Follow latest updates from Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 as Team GB chase their first medal of the Games

Watch live outside China’s National Stadium as Winter Olympics come to close

Great Britain’s women, led by Eve Muirhead, went one better than the men in their gold medal match against Japan at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The men’s team fell short yesterday when Sweden claimed gold to deny Bruce Mouat and his team. Swedish skip Niklas Edin proved too good and repeated their victory over Great Britain in a 2014 semi-final. Muirhead overcame almost impossible odds to steer her women’s curling team into the Olympic final where she completed an incredible journey to finally fulfil an ambition that appeared beyond her after a decade at the top of her sport. Team coach Murdoch put her chances of salvaging victory at “less than 10 per cent” after shipping four shots in a disastrous opening end to defending Olympic champions Sweden, but they clawed back to clinch a thrilling 12-11 victory in an extra end.

In the final, Muirhead guided Great Britain to their first and only gold of the Games, beating Japan 10-3 to claim the joint-biggest margin of victory in a final since the sport was reintroduced in ‘98. With all events now closed and the medals handed out, it only remains for the closing ceremony to take place and the baton to be passed on to Italy.

Follow live coverage from the Winter Olympics below:

Winter Olympics: Final day and Closing Ceremony

• REPORT: Muirhead leads Great Britain to first gold medal at Winter Olympics in women’s curling
• Team Hall leads Britain to sixth in four-man bobsleigh as Germany secure gold
• Team GB beaten by Sweden in men’s curling final
• Team GB react to winning gold medal in women’s curling
• Muirhead backed to become ‘greatest of all time’ after adding Olympic gold to major titles
• Closing ceremony underway in Beijing

[19 February 2022 09:40 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Men’s curling final: GB 4-4 Sweden (extra end)

So with five stones left each in this extra end, Sweden have left one in the centre of the house and Britain have a slight opening, perhaps. Bobby Lammie places one cleverly to the side, behind a Swedish guard, to give GB something in the centre. Sweden clear the guard with their next shot, and GB will try and replace it...

[19 February 2022 09:35 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Men’s curling final: GB 4-4 Sweden (extra end)

We go to an extra end. Sweden have the hammer, so Britain have it all to do.

Niklas Edin has raised his game in the final (Reuters)

Bruce Mouat and Hammy Mcmillan bump fists (Reuters)

[19 February 2022 09:33 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Men’s curling final: GB 4-4 Sweden (After 10 ends)

Bruce Mouat pulls off the pressure shot, leaving his last stone on the button to win a point, and we’re going to an extra end!

[19 February 2022 09:31 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Men’s curling final: GB 3-4 Sweden (10th and last end)

Wow. A brilliant response by Sweden as skip Niklas Edin finds the tiniest gap to bump his own stone into Britain’s and knock it out of the house. Over to Bruce Mouat with this penultimate stone for GB, which he curls close to the centre. Sweden will surely knock this out, and leave GB with a simple shot to force the extra end...

[19 February 2022 09:28 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Men’s curling final: GB 3-4 Sweden (10th and last end)

Perfect by Hardie! He hits out the central Swedish stone and rolls perfectly behind the remaining two while staying closest to the centre. It means Britain have the advantage and it’s a really difficult stone for Sweden to wipe out as it’s so protected by the Swedes’ previous stones. Remember, Britain have the hammer (last throw) so they have a real chance here to pick up two crucial, gold medal-winning points...

[19 February 2022 09:25 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Men’s curling final: GB 3-4 Sweden (10th and last end)

Grant Hardie doesn’t quite nail his attempt to knock out two Swedish stones in one effort, and the Swedes now have three stones in the house. A tricky situation for Britain with their three more stones remaining. They call a timeout and Bruce Mouat gathers his team around the house to discuss their strategy. Hardie to throw...

[19 February 2022 09:21 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Men’s curling final: GB 3-4 Sweden (10th and last end)

Rasmus Wrana plays a clever shot to clear both of those British yellow stones guarding the top of the house. Bobby Lammie responds with a carefully placed stone close to the button, but Sweden remain in charge. Each team has four stones left in this Olympic final...

[19 February 2022 09:19 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Men’s curling final: GB 3-4 Sweden (10th and last end)

Sweden put a stone close to the button and place a guard, which Britain nudge. The Swedes then add another stone close to the centre, and Bobby Lammie clatters through them with a plant to leave...

Sweden (red) and Britain (yellow) contesting the final end of the men’s curling final (Olympics.com)

[19 February 2022 09:13 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Men’s curling final: GB 3-4 Sweden (after nine ends)

That’s exactly what happens – we go into the final end perfectly poised: Sweden have a one-point advantage, but Britain have the hammer. GB need a two-point swing in this end to clinch Olympic gold, while one point would force an extra end – but Sweden would then have the hammer. Here we go...

[19 February 2022 09:12 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Men’s curling final: GB 3-4 Sweden (9th end)

It looks like it’s going to be a trading of stones now so that GB blank this ninth end, keep the scores as they are but importantly retain the hammer (the final stone) for the final and decisive 10th end.