No rift in GB team

Martin's right to defend her Olympic title was briefly put into question after Team Martin returned home from Salt Lake City in 2002 to be beaten by another British team - led by Jackie Lockhart - in the Scottish Championships.

Lockhart's team - including skip Kelly Wood - then travelled to the World Championships in Canada, where they triumphed.

But despite the intense rivalry between the team members, Martin - who will skip the British team again in Torino - denies any problems exist.

"I'm absolutely delighted to be going as skip, and there are no problems with Jackie or Kelly," Martin said.

"I think they're delighted to be going to the Games in any position," she continued. "And over the past year they have played in other positions, while I didn't, so they're experienced all over the rink.

Lockhart too was quick to dispel any rumours of a non-existent feud, saying that the 'rift' was simply a figment of the media's imagination.

"It really will not be a problem," said Lockhart. "When Rhona won the Olympic gold and I won the World championship I think a lot of people tried to create a big split between us.

"The only rivalry we have though is on the ice."

Mother of two Martin dragged the sport of curling into the British limelight back in 2002 at the Salt Lake Games, winning an unlikely gold for an even unlikelier nation.

Martin, now 39 years old, launched the winning stone four years ago, leaving the US a national hero and with plans to convert the whole nation to the joys of stones, brooms, hog lines and buttons.

Her and her team's chances of glory this time round are slim - they are currently ranked sixth in the world - but then again, nobody fancied them four years ago, and then Martin came away with a gold medal in her back pocket.