David Murdoch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Murdoch MBE
Curler
Born	(1978-04-17) 17 April 1978 (age 47) Dumfries, Scotland
Team
Curling club	Curl Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
Career
World Championship appearances	8 (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017)
European Championship appearances	11 (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Olympic appearances	3 (2006, 2010, 2014)
Medal record Curling Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games Silver 2014 Sochi Representing  Scotland World Championships Gold 2006 Lowell Gold 2009 Moncton Silver 2005 Victoria Silver 2008 Grand Forks Bronze 2010 Cortina d'Ampezzo Bronze 2013 Victoria European Championships Gold 2003 Courmayeur Gold 2007 Füssen Gold 2008 Örnsköldsvik Silver 2006 Basel Bronze 2005 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Bronze 2013 Stavanger World Junior Championships Gold 1995 Perth Gold 1996 Red Deer Silver 1998 Thunder Bay

David Matthew Murdoch (born 17 April 1978) is a Scottish curler who is now retired from playing. He was born in Dumfries, Scotland. David was the skip (team leader) for Scotland and Great Britain. He led his team to win the World Curling Championships twice, in 2006 and 2009. He also represented Great Britain in three Winter Olympics. At the 2014 Sochi Olympics, he won a silver medal. Since September 2018, he has been a national and Olympic coach for British Curling. In early 2023, he became the high-performance director for Curling Canada.

David Murdoch's Curling Journey

Early Years in Curling

David Murdoch started his curling career strong. He won the World Junior Curling Championships twice. His first win was in 1995, as an alternate player. The next year, 1996, he won again as a lead player. In 1998, he earned a silver medal at the World Juniors. By 1999, David became a skip, leading the Scottish junior team.

Four years later, in 2003, he led Scotland to win the European Curling Championships. They beat a very strong Swedish team in the final.

Becoming a Men's Champion

In 2005, David Murdoch competed in his first World Curling Championships. His Scottish team won a silver medal, losing to Canada in the final. This great performance helped his team get selected for the 2006 Winter Olympics. At the Olympics, his team finished fourth.

Just two months after the Olympics, David got his revenge. He won the gold medal at the 2006 World Men's Curling Championship. He defeated Canada in the final. In December 2006, he won a silver medal at the European Championships. He then won gold at the European Championships in both 2007 and 2008.

In 2009, David Murdoch won another gold medal for Scotland. This was at the World Men's Curling Championship held in Moncton, Canada. In January 2010, his team made history. They became the first non-Canadian team to win the TSN Skins Game, a major curling event.

Olympic Success and Retirement

After the 2010 season, David's Olympic team changed. In 2012, he joined forces with another top curler, Tom Brewster. This new team had a successful 2012–13 season. They won the Edinburgh Invitational and the German Masters. They also earned bronze medals at both the 2013 World Championships and the 2013 European Championships.

In October 2013, David was chosen to skip the Great Britain team for the 2014 Winter Olympics. At these Olympics, he won a silver medal. His team lost to Canada in the final. During the Sochi Olympics, David made some incredible shots. One shot in a playoff game against Norway was called the "shot of the century." This shot helped his team reach the semi-finals. Another last shot against Sweden secured their silver medal. This was the first Olympic silver medal for the Great Britain men's curling team since the 1924 Games.

After the 2014 Olympics, David's team faced some challenges. They did not qualify for some major championships. In June 2017, it was announced that another team would represent Great Britain at the 2018 Winter Olympics. On 13 July 2017, David Murdoch announced he was retiring from playing curling. He then began a new career as a coach.

Beyond the Ice

Media and Charity Work

David Murdoch has also worked as a curling commentator and analyst. He has appeared on TV channels like Eurosport and Channel 4. He has been a guest on many TV and radio shows. These include Sport Relief 2014, Daybreak, and A Question of Sport. He even helped announce the National Lottery draw live on BBC.

David is also a big supporter of charities. He often helps give out Duke of Edinburgh awards. He has supported the PDSA and taken part in a charity curling calendar. He also supported Sport Relief at events in London and Glasgow.

Family Life

David Murdoch comes from a family of talented curlers. His sister, Nancy Murdoch, is an Olympic coach. His brother, Neil Murdoch, is a former European Champion. Their mother, Marion Murdoch, is also a curling coach. She received an award in 2015 for her coaching work. David credits his mother for helping him become a competitive player. She also helped other Olympic medalists develop their skills.

David's father, Matthew Murdoch, was also a Scottish curling champion. He passed away in 2014, shortly after watching his son win the Olympic silver medal. David is married and has a daughter.

In 2022, David Murdoch was honored with the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award. This was for his great contributions to curling.

Teams David Murdoch Played With

Awards and Recognition

• WJCC All-star lead: 1996
• WJCC All-star third: 1998

See also

In Spanish: David Murdoch para niños