Vicky Wright: From Covid nurse to curling Olympic medallist
A surgical ward nurse nurse who worked through the pandemic, the 28-year-old will return to Britain as an Olympic medallist with Team GB women's curling quartet at Beijing 2022.
Curling
Vicky Wright will return to her job as a surgical ward nurse with the NHS (The UK's Healthcare Service) as an Olympic medallist.
Wright is a member of the Team GB women's curling that takes on Team Japan in the women's curling gold medal game on Sunday 20 February (09:05 local time, 1:05 GMT).
The British curler is guaranteed at least a silver medal on her Olympic debut at Beijing 2022 before returning to her job at Forth Valley Hospital, Larbert in Scotland.
It will be the second medal of the Olympic Winter Games for Britain after the men's curling team skipped by Bruce Mouat won silver as Sweden won the gold medal game.
Wright has worked throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and says it has given her a fresh outlook.
She told the Press Association: “I feel very lucky that I have the best of both worlds,” said Wright. “If I am having a bad day on the ice, I will go to work and really get a perspective that my life is actually OK, there are a lot of people worse off than me.
“If I am having a bad day at work, I have curling to focus on, which is rewarding for me.
"I find it keeps me really grounded and I am able to do both.”
Wright flies back to work in the pandemic
Wright is part of Eve Muirhead’s four-strong team, along with Jennifer Dodds and Hailey Duff.
The quartet will aim to become the first British Winter Olympics champions since Rhona Martin's team claimed curling gold at Salt Lake City 2002.
The 28-year-old was in Canada in March 2020 when the World Championships were cancelled two days before the event was due to start.
Wright flew home and went back to work where her ward had been requisitioned as a Covid-19 ward.
“When the pandemic hit we were in Canada and I flew home and went back to work,” added Wright. “We couldn’t train or do anything, and I trained as a nurse for a reason, so I just went back to do it full time.
“I finished working full-time on January 6. I worked nights over Christmas and worked Christmas Eve.”
Wright wants to go one better than fiance
Wright's fiance Greg Drummond won curling silver with Team GB at Sochi 2014.
Drummond was in Beijing as coach of Mouat and Dodds in the mixed doubles competition, but flew home last week after the pair finished fourth.
"I definitely want to go one better," said Wright. "Before I came out here, I said to him, I will go and get gold and bring back the bragging rights. He has had them for eight years, and I think it’s time I get them back."