By Lisa Gray, PA Sport

Winter Olympic curling champion Rhona Martin admits her new found status as gold medallist hit home only when she was asked for her autograph by Steve Redgrave.

The Great Britain women's skip is a self-confessed fan of the decorated rower, who has won five gold medals at consecutive Olympic games, and believes he is a great ambassador for British sport.

Martin herself has now become a household name after she, along with the rest of `Team Martin', ended Britain's 18-year gold medal drought in the winter competition.

The married mother of two and team-mates Janice Rankin, Debbie Knox, Fiona MacDonald and Maggie Morton, had the nation biting their finger nails when they clinched the win against Switzerland in Utah.

But Martin is finding it difficult to come to terms with the label of national hero.

She said: ``I've always said he (Redgrave) was my sporting hero. What he has achieved in the sport is just fantastic and I've followed his progress all along.

``We went to a dinner that the British Olympic Association held and he was there, along with other medal winners.

``He came up and asked us to sign a T-shirt for one of his fundraising campaigns and it was like `You're asking me? I'm supposed to ask you!'

``So that brought the reality home and it was really nice to meet him.''

But, ironically, it was Switzerland's win over the Germans that threw the Scottish quintet a lifeline and Martin claims at that point she knew Britain could go on to win the gold.

She added: ``We did say before we left that, if we played well, there was no reason why we couldn't make the semi-finals, and when you get to that stage it's anybody's game.

``Obviously at one stage during the week we thought we were dead and buried but thanks to Switzerland, who let us back in.

``When we got that second chance, we made sure we took it. There was a good fighting spirit and at that stage we thought `yes, we can win it'.''

But, as alternate, Morton admits she was just as nervous as the millions of viewers around the world watching the drama unfold live on television because of her spells off the ice.

She said: ``It was very nerve-wracking because I believe you are more nervous when you are off the ice than on it.

``You have no control over the stones but the girls played really well and it has been a great achievement for us all.''

Before the historic win, the sport struggled to gain credibility but success in Salt Lake City has made the women, dubbed the `Scottish housewives', household names.

Now there is already speculation that civil leaders in MacDonald and Rankin's home city of Inverness could award them freedom of the city.

MacDonald said: ``We're just looking forward to the reception when we get back home. We have heard a rumour about freedom of the city but we haven't had time to think about it.

``It would definitely be an honour to be given that but we'll just have to wait and see what happens when we get back up the road.''