Rhona Martin took up the sport of curling at the age of sixteen and five years later was part of the Scottish national team at the World Junior Championships. Having been close to the Scottish Championships on many occasions she finally won the title, for what was to prove the only time in her career, in 2000. Martin had by then represented her country in two European Championships and was runner-up in the 1998 event. Her team reached the semi-finals of the 2000 World Championships but after an impressive display in the pool stage they lost both semi-final and bronze medal play-off.
After qualifying for the Olympics by winning the trials she was hospitalised with a stomach disorder on arrival in Utah and only narrowly recovered in time to play. Once play began the British team started impressively but lost form towards the end of the pool stages and were lucky to reach the semi-finals. Martin’s rink caused an massive shock by defeating Canadai n the semis and then beat the Swiss on the last stone in the gold medal match. That last stone thrown in the final, called “The Stone of Destiny” by the Scottish press, now resides in a museum in Edinburgh.
Martin, a housewife with two children, was voted Scotswoman of the Year in 2002 for her Olympic achievement. She did not appear in another major tournament until the 2005 European Championship and after failing to defend her Olympic title she retired from international competition. In 2007 she became an elite coach with the Scottish Institute of Sport.
Great Britain