The team, lead by captain Eve Muirhead, won 10-3 in the final, beating Japan to win the UK's only gold medal at the games.

Muirhead told Sky's Kay Burley that it had been a "whirlwind 48 hours", but was an absolute "dream come true" to walk away with the gold medal, especially with this being her fourth Olympics.

The men's team won silver in the event after a narrow 5-4 loss against Sweden in the final, just a day before the women played Japan, on the last day of the event in China.

"Watching the men's final definitely spurred us on," team-mate Hailey Duff said.

"They played amazingly in the final and we're so proud of them."

It was the first time Team GB had won a gold medal in curling in 20 years, since captain Rhona Martin lead her team to victory at the 2002 games.

"We wanted to follow in Rhona's footsteps in the final, and to have her there was very emotional," Muirhead said.

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Disappointing games for Team GB

The Winter Olympics were a disappointment for Team GB overall, with just two medals won, compared to five in both 2018 and 2014.

"What is really important is that we review properly," UK Sport CEO Sally Munday told BBC sport.

"I think you probably liken us to a wounded lion. We'll lick our wounds, we'll work out what needs to be different and we will come back fighting and roaring for Milan-Cortina," she added, referring to the location of the next Winter Olympics in northern Italy.

According to UK Sport, more than £22m was spent on funding the sports at this year's Winter Olympics, with the most spent on ski and snowboard events, both of which failed to win any medals.