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Vicky Wright
Vicky Wright
Vicky Wright
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Victoria Drummond[1][2] MBE (born 15 August 1993), better known as Vicky Wright, is a Scottish former curler from Stranraer,[3] and 2022 Olympic Champion in women's curling,[4] playing third on Team Muirhead.

Key Information

Career

[edit]

Before playing for Muirhead, Wright curled for Hannah Fleming. She was the alternate for Scotland at the 2013 World Junior Curling Championships, where the team won a silver medal.[5] She won the 2018 Scottish Women's Curling Championship as lead for Fleming to qualify for her first World Championship.[6] At the 2018 World Women's Curling Championship, the team struggled, finishing the round robin with a 5–7 record.[7]

For the 2018–19 season, Wright joined team Muirhead as the alternate. She played for the team at the first leg of the 2018–19 Curling World Cup as Muirhead had a hip injury.[8] They finished in sixth with a 2–4 record.[9] She played in her first European Curling Championships at the 2018 European Curling Championships. The team had a disappointing performance, finishing with a 4–5 record and missing the playoffs.[10] At the 2019 Scottish Women's Curling Championships, the team qualified for the final but lost to Sophie Jackson 11–7.[11] Wright also played in the International Mixed Doubles Dumfries that season with Craig Waddell where they lost in the quarterfinals.[12] To finish off the season, Team Muirhead won the 2019 WCT Arctic Cup.[13]

The following season, Wright replaced Vicki Chalmers on the team due to Chalmers stepping away from competitive curling. The team won their first event of the 2019–20 season, the 2019 Cameron's Brewing Oakville Fall Classic.[14] At the 2019 European Curling Championships, the Muirhead rink reached the final where they lost to Sweden's Anna Hasselborg, claiming the silver medal.[15] In early January, they won the Mercure Perth Masters.[16] Team Muirhead claimed the 2020 Scottish Women's Curling Championship by defeating Maggie Wilson 8–3 in the championship game.[17] The team was set to represent Scotland at the 2020 World Women's Curling Championship before the event got cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[18][19] In Grand Slam play, they played in three events and qualified in one of them, the 2019 National where they lost in the quarterfinals to Jennifer Jones.[20]

Due to the ongoing pandemic, a limited number of tour events were held during the 2020–21 season. Team Muirhead did play in a series of domestic events put on by the British Curling Association, where they won the January Challenge event and finished runner-up to Team Gina Aitken in the Elite Finals.[21][22] Wright and her mixed doubles partner Grant Hardie lost in the final of the December event to Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat. A "curling bubble" was set up in Calgary, Canada in the spring, which hosted several events, including the 2021 World Women's Curling Championship and two slams.[23] Team Muirhead competed in both the 2021 Champions Cup and the 2021 Players' Championship, failing to qualify at both events. The next week, the team represented Scotland at the World's, finishing with a disappointing 6–7, in eighth place.[24]

Because of Scotland's disappointing finish at the 2021 World Championship, the country was relegated to compete in the 2021 Olympic Qualification Event to earn their spot in the 2022 Winter Olympics. To maximize its chances of securing Olympic qualification, British Curling implemented a squad system for nine of its top-level female curlers, five of which would make the team for the 2021 European Curling Championships and the Olympic Qualification Event.[25] The nine players alternated teams and lineups throughout the five tryout events they competed in: the 2021 Euro Super Series, the 2021 Saint Petersburg Classic, the 2021 The Challenger, the 2021 Women's Masters Basel and the 2021 Curlers Corner Autumn Gold Curling Classic. Wright had successful results at each of the five events, winning The Challenger and finishing runner-up at the Saint Petersburg Classic. She also made the semifinal of the Euro Super Series. On 25 October 2021, British Curling officially announced its team for the European Championship: skip Eve Muirhead, Wright at third, second Jennifer Dodds, lead Hailey Duff and alternate Mili Smith. It was the same lineup that claimed the title at The Challenger.[26] Prior to the Europeans, the new look Team Muirhead competed in the WCT Tallinn Ladies Challenger where they went undefeated to claim the title.[27]

At the European Championship, the team was the class of the field, finishing 8–1 through the round robin and qualifying for the playoffs as the number one seed. In the semifinal, they defeated Germany's Daniela Jentsch 7–4 and then went on to win the gold medal by defeating Sweden's Anna Hasselborg by the same score. It was Scotland's first European women's title since 2017.[28] Their win at the European Championship secured their spot as the British team for the Olympic Qualification Event.[29] There, the team posted a 6–2 record through the round robin, finishing tied for first with South Korea's Kim Eun-jung and Japan's Satsuki Fujisawa. The tie for the first Olympic spot was broken by draw shot challenge totals, which Great Britain had the best of between the three rinks. This earned the team direct qualification into the Olympic Games without having to play in the qualification games.[30] On 23 December 2021, Muirhead, Wright, Dodds, Duff, and Smith were officially named to the British Olympic team.[31]

At the Games, the British team had mixed results through the round robin. Always remaining in the middle of the pact, the team won their last round robin game over the ROC to finish with a 5–4 record, tied for third with Japan's Fujisawa and Canada's Jennifer Jones. Once again, due to draw shot challenge tiebreaking totals, the team qualified for the playoffs, this time as the third seed.[32] In the semifinal, they faced Sweden's Hasselborg in a rematch of the 2021 European final. Things did not get off to a good start for the team, giving up four points in the first end. They managed to battle their way back, however, stealing a single in the fifth end to tie the score at five-all. After taking four in the ninth end for a commanding 11–8 lead, Sweden scored three in the tenth end to tie the game and force an extra end. There, Muirhead secured the single point for a 12–11 victory and a spot for the team in the gold medal game.[33] In the final, the British team was dominant against Fujisawa's Japanese team, never trailing en route to a 10–3 victory and the Olympic gold medal.[34] The "golden girls" ended their incredible season with a quarterfinal finish at the 2022 Players' Championship.[35]

On 17 May 2022, Wright announced her retirement from the sport.[36]

Wright was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to curling.[37]

Personal life

[edit]

Wright studied nursing at Glasgow Caledonian University, and works as a nurse[38] at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert.[39][40] She is married to fellow curler Greg Drummond.[1] In her youth she was also a swimmer. She currently lives in Stirling.[41]

Teams

[edit]
Season Skip Third Second Lead Alternate
2011–12[42] Jennifer Dodds Rebecca Kesley Mhairi Baird Vicky Wright
2012–13 Jennifer Martin Hazel Smith Vicky Wright Mhairi Baird
2013–14 Jennifer Martin Hazel Smith Vicky Wright Mhairi Baird
2014–15 Lauren Gray Jennifer Dodds Vicky Wright Mhairi Baird
2015–16 Lauren Gray Jennifer Dodds Vicky Wright Mhairi Baird
2016–17 Hannah Fleming Jennifer Dodds Alice Spence Vicky Wright
2017–18 Hannah Fleming Jennifer Dodds Alice Spence Vicky Wright Sophie Jackson
2018–19 Eve Muirhead Jennifer Dodds Vicki Chalmers Lauren Gray Vicky Wright
2019–20 Eve Muirhead Lauren Gray Jennifer Dodds Vicky Wright
2020–21 Eve Muirhead Vicky Wright Jennifer Dodds Lauren Gray Sophie Sinclair
2021–22 Eve Muirhead Vicky Wright Jennifer Dodds Hailey Duff Mili Smith

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Vicky Wright

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Vicky Wright (born 15 August 1993) is a Scottish and who achieved international prominence as a member of the women's team that won at the in , marking the team's first Olympic title in 20 years and the United Kingdom's sole at those . Born in and raised in , Wright began at age 12 through a local development program at Stranraer Ice Rink, while also pursuing until age 16 and maintaining a passion for . She earned a degree from and worked as a staff nurse on a general surgical ward at , notably returning to frontline duties during the in 2020 before resuming full-time training. In recognition of her Olympic success and contributions to , Wright was appointed Member of the (MBE) in the and received an honorary degree from . Wright's curling career included two Scottish Women's Curling Championship titles, with her first in 2018 as lead for Team Fleming, and she later joined Team Muirhead as vice-skip, securing silver at the 2019 and gold at the 2021 edition. At the Olympics, she delivered a 94% shot accuracy in the gold medal final against , contributing to a 10-3 victory. Wright announced her retirement from elite in May 2022 at age 28 to focus on her career and family life, while continuing to contribute to curling through coaching.

Early life

Birth and upbringing

Victoria Wright, known as Vicky Wright, was born on 15 August 1993 in , . Wright grew up in , a rural coastal town in southwest 's region, where her family resided amid the area's scenic landscapes and maritime influences. Details on her early family life remain limited in , with no specific parental or sibling influences widely documented as shaping her active lifestyle during childhood.

Education and early sports involvement

Wright was educated at Stranraer Academy in her hometown before pursuing higher education at , where she earned a BA (Hons) in Studies in 2015. During her youth in , Wright had access to local sports facilities that encouraged early participation in athletics, including competitive , which she pursued until the age of 16. She also enjoyed as a recreational activity alongside her swimming. Wright's introduction to came at age 12 through the Curling Cool programme, an initiative designed to engage young people in the sport at Ice Rink. She began participating in local club activities as a member of the Leswalt Curling Club, marking her initial foray into the sport during her teenage years in .

Curling career

Junior and early senior achievements

Wright's notable junior achievement came in 2013 when she served as the alternate for the Scottish team skipped by Hannah Fleming at the in , , where the team earned a silver medal after losing 5–6 to Russia in the final after an extra end. Transitioning to senior competition, Wright joined Team Fleming as lead during the 2014–15 season and began participating in events such as the Scottish Women's Curling Championships. Her early senior performances included a 3–4 record at the 2015 Scottish Women's Curling Championship. She continued with Team Fleming through the 2017–18 season, competing in the Scottish Women's Curling Championships, where the team challenged top rinks but did not secure the title until 2018. In February 2018, Wright won her first Scottish Women's Curling Championship as lead, defeating Team Sophie Jackson 7–6 in an extra end to qualify for the world stage. At her senior international debut, the 2018 World Women's Championship in , Team Fleming, with Wright at lead, finished the round-robin phase with a 5–7 record, missing the .

Major team affiliations and competitions

Vicky Wright established her presence in senior as the lead for Team Hannah Fleming during the 2018 season. Playing alongside skip Hannah Fleming, third Alice Spence, and second Jennifer Dodds, Wright helped the team secure the 2018 Scottish Women's Championship title by defeating Team Sophie Jackson in the final at the Dewar's Centre in Perth. This victory earned them the right to represent at the 2018 World Women's Championship in , where the rink competed against top international teams. In the 2018-19 season, Wright transitioned to Team Eve Muirhead, initially serving as the alternate to gain experience with one of Scotland's premier rinks. She played lead for the 2019-20 season, joining skip Eve Muirhead, third Lauren Gray, and second Jennifer Dodds. Under this lineup, the team dominated domestically by winning the 2020 Scottish Women's Curling Championship, overcoming Team Corrynne Third in the qualifying rounds and sealing the title with an 8-3 final victory over Team Wilson at the Dewar's Centre. The following year, with Hailey Duff replacing Gray at lead and Wright moving to third, the team continued its strong form in international qualifiers. In September 2021, Team Muirhead claimed victory at The Challenger in Wetzikon, , where Wright played a key role in their 7-5 final win against Switzerland's Irene Schori after advancing through the with a semifinal triumph over . This success built momentum for their performance at the 2021 in , , where the full lineup of skip , third Vicky Wright, second Jennifer Dodds, lead Hailey Duff, and alternate Mili Smith earned gold by defeating Sweden's 7-4 in the championship final. These achievements underscored Wright's adaptation to a vice-skip role and her contributions to the team's tactical precision in high-stakes senior competitions.

2022 Olympic success and retirement

Vicky Wright served as third and vice-skip for Great Britain's women's curling team, skipped by Eve Muirhead, at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The team, which included second Jennifer Dodds and lead Hailey Duff, qualified for the Olympics by winning the Olympic Qualification Event in December 2021. Wright's strategic shot-making and precise line calls were instrumental throughout the tournament, contributing to the team's undefeated run in the playoffs. In the gold medal final against on February 20, 2022, delivered a dominant 10–3 victory, securing the nation's first Olympic gold in women's since 2002. Key moments included scoring two points in the first end with the , stealing one in the fifth via a precise T-line shot by Muirhead that Wright helped set up, and a decisive four-point outburst in the seventh end, where Wright's faultless draws and guards opened the house for Muirhead's final placement. The team added two more points in the ninth end, forcing to concede without playing the tenth. Wright's performance as vice-skip, handling complex strategic decisions, was pivotal in maintaining control and executing the flawless team strategy. Following the Olympic triumph, Wright announced her retirement from full-time competitive on May 17, 2022. She cited a desire to prioritize her career and family life, expressing gratitude to her teammates and hospital colleagues at for their support during her dual pursuits. This decision marked the end of her elite playing career shortly after achieving Olympic glory.

Personal life

Family and marriage

Vicky Wright married Scottish curler Greg Drummond on July 1, 2022. The couple, who became engaged in 2020, share a deep bond through their mutual passion for ; Drummond, a 2014 Olympic silver medalist, has often highlighted Wright's dedication and composure during her competitive career. They reside in , , near the National Curling Academy, where Drummond serves as Olympic Head Coach for British Curling. This location supports their continued involvement in the sport while fostering their personal life together. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Sophie Victoria, at the end of the 2023–24 curling season.

Nursing career

Vicky Wright graduated from in 2015 with a BA (Hons) in Studies, which equipped her with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary for her professional role in patient care. Following her graduation, she joined the (NHS) as a staff nurse, applying her academic training in clinical settings to support surgical and intensive care patients. Wright has worked at in , , for over seven years, primarily in general surgery and intensive care units, where she provides direct frontline care to patients. Her nursing education from directly prepared her for these responsibilities, emphasizing , , and multidisciplinary teamwork essential to hospital environments. During the , Wright returned to full-time duties at after pausing her training abroad, serving on the frontline to treat patients amid the crisis. She balanced these demanding shifts with her athletic commitments by prioritizing healthcare needs during peak pandemic periods, highlighting the adaptability fostered by her university training. Following her retirement from competitive in 2022, Wright has been able to devote more time to her career.

Teams and honors

Key teams played for

Vicky Wright began her senior curling career playing as lead for Team Hannah Fleming, a Scottish rink based in Perth, from approximately 2014 to 2019. In this role, she contributed to the team's efforts in national and international competitions, including the 2018 World Women's Curling Championship where the lineup consisted of skip Hannah Fleming, second Jennifer Dodds, third Alice Spence, and lead Wright, with alternate Sophie Jackson. Prior to her time with Fleming, Wright was involved in junior squads, notably serving as alternate for the Scottish team skipped by Hannah Fleming that earned silver at the 2013 , alongside Lauren Gray at third and Jennifer Dodds at second. She also played lead on earlier junior and early senior teams skipped by Lauren Gray. In 2018, Wright transitioned to Team Eve Muirhead as alternate for the 2018–19 season, marking her entry into one of Scotland's premier rinks. She advanced to a full-time position starting in the 2019–20 season, initially as lead alongside skip , third Lauren Gray, and second Jennifer Dodds. By the 2021–22 Olympic season, Wright had moved to third (vice-skip), with the lineup featuring skip , second Jennifer Dodds, lead Hailey Duff, and alternate Mili Smith. She remained with this team until her retirement from elite curling in 2022.

Awards and recognitions

Vicky Wright, as vice-skip of the women's team, won the gold medal at the in , marking the country's only gold of the Games after defeating 10-3 in the final. In July 2022, Wright received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from . Following her retirement from elite in May 2022, Wright was appointed Member of the (MBE) in the for services to .

References

  1. https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/vicky-wright/34ThmCpcCozo2byF31ssrf
  2. https://www.olympics.com/en/news/team-gb-olympic-curling-champion-vicky-wright-retires
  3. https://www.gcu.ac.uk/alumni/profile/meet-vicki
  4. https://www.scottish-places.info/people/famousfirst4625.html
  5. https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-sports/52004034
  6. https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/news/people/curler-and-fvrh-nurse-vicky-wright-receives-honorary-degree-from-glasgow-caledonian-university-3760177
  7. https://www.britishcurling.org.uk/news/olympic-golden-girl-vicky-wright-to-retire-from-elite-curling/
  8. https://www.scottishcurling.org/comps/past-international-medallists/european-curling-championships-medallists-women/
  9. https://www.olympics.com/en/news/vicky-wright-covid-nurse-curling-olympic-medallist-beijing
  10. https://www.teamgb.com/article/olympic-champion-vicky-wright-calls-time-on-full-time-curling-career/1gF7E74GOX5BVF9clxgH1n
  11. https://worldcurling.org/2024/02/wright-camp/
  12. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/dumfries-galloway-curling-olympians-recognised-27137626
  13. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/winter-olympics-curling-stars-who-raised-the-bar-for-team-gb-2xc7x880g
  14. https://nhsscotlandevents.com/speaker/vicky-wright
  15. https://results.worldcurling.org/championship/Details/479
  16. https://www.scottishcurling.org/comps/past-international-medallists/world-junior-curling-championships-medallists-women/
  17. https://www.scottishcurling.org/scottish-curling-championships-2018-womens-final-match-report/
  18. https://results.worldcurling.org/championship/Details/584
  19. https://www.scottishcurling.org/2018-world-womens-curling-championships-latest/
  20. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/scotland/48604001
  21. https://www.scottishcurling.org/team-muirhead-scottish-curling-womens-champions-2020/
  22. https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?eventid=7102&view=Playoffs
  23. https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/60450423
  24. https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/other-sport/winter-olympics-2022-forth-valley-nurse-vicky-wright-plays-key-role-as-team-muirhead-win-gold-3576841
  25. https://www.olympics.com/en/news/great-britain-muirhead-japan-loco-solare-womens-curling-gold-beijing
  26. https://www.thenational.scot/sport/20145653.scottish-curler-vicky-wright-retired-full-time-curling/
  27. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/20145632.olympic-champion-vicky-wright-retires-curling/
  28. https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/news/people/gold-medal-curler-vicky-wright-returns-to-work-at-forth-valley-royal-hospital-3592031
  29. https://www.facebook.com/britishcurling/videos/congratulations-to-vicky-wright-and-greg-drummond-on-their-engagement/573126880034902/
  30. https://news.sky.com/story/vicky-wright-how-nurse-who-worked-on-covid-frontline-became-olympic-curling-champion-12547019
  31. https://www.britishcurling.org.uk/about/organisation/leadership-team/greg-drummond-oly/
  32. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-60569959
  33. https://nhsforthvalley.com/its-good-to-be-back-olympic-gold-medalist-and-nurse-vicky-wright-returns-to-forth-valley-royal-hospital/
  34. https://www.thenational.scot/news/18327106.coronavirus-curler-vicky-wright-returns-nursing-help-nhs/
  35. https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1092532/vicky-wright-curling-covid-19
  36. https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-sports/61479838
  37. https://thecurlingnews.com/news/news/another-young-curling-champion-retires
  38. https://www.bbc.com/sport/scotland/48604001
  39. https://www.teamgb.com/article/gold-medal-winning-curlers-celebrated-in-queens-birthday-honours/uLpAjijGJhKh2WRAIReim
  40. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/honours-list-marks-hm-the-queens-jubilee-year
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