British women beat world champions China in curling opener

From Sportsbeat Staff, in Vancouver

GREAT BRITAIN'S women's curlers started their Olympic campaign with a bang, defeating world champions China after a tense extra end in Vancouver.

FAMOUS WIN: 19-year old Eve Muirhead skips Great Britain's women to victory in their opening match against world champions China (Getty Images)

Skipped by 19-year old Eve Muirhead, Great Britain held a 4-2 lead coming into the final end but a strong showing from Chinese skip Bingyu Wang ensured sudden death.

But with the hammer, the British quartet of Muirhead, Jackie Lockhart, Kelly Wood and Lorna Vevers scored with the final stone of the match to secure a 5-4 win.

"A lot of games come down to the last end so you get used to having to throw that final stone," said the British skip.

"You get all the credit if you win and all the criticism if you lose but those shots have to be made - that's what a skip has to be.

"And we're all delighted with how that first match finished - it was important for us to get off to a strong start and if you don't, these games come back to haunt you."

Muirhead went 1-0 down after losing the second end but the Scottish skip restored parity in the fourth before a vital double score in the fifth handed the British a 3-1 lead at the half-way point.

As the Chinese pushed to claw their way back into the match, the British team stayed on the defensive, neutralising the score in the sixth and seventh ends.

Chinese skip Bingyu Wang claimed another point in the eighth but once again Muirhead threw a beautiful final stone in the penultimate end to restore the two-point cushion.

Wang had wasted opportunities to score earlier in the match but when the moment came in the tenth end, the Chinese skip pounced to score a double and bring on a deciding end.

But, throwing second in the decider, the British were always in control and Muirhead's final delivery found the target to displace Wang's scoring stone and secure the winning point.

China coach Dan Rafael insisted the world champions were staying positive and still fancied their chances in Vancouver.

"We lost the first game at the World Championships last year and then went on to win it," said the Chinese coach.

"It's all good. We didn't expect to go undefeated throughout the competition anyway - we knew there was no chance of that."

Meanwhile, European champions Germany captured their second win of the Games, fending off a late comeback from the USA to win 6-5.

Hosts Canada also celebrated a second victory of the competition but had to come from behind and score twice in the final end for a 7-6 win.

Defending chamions Sweden, who struggled to victory over Denmark in their opening match, had problems again against Switzerland as they were taken to an extra end before prevailing 8-7.

Muirhead and Great Britain will take on the Swedes in their second match this evening.

AS IT HAPPENS: Day six of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver