Matt Weston claims gold medal at 2026 Winter Olympics
Matt Weston made history by claiming Britain’s first gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in the skeleton event, yet his victory celebration proved remarkably understated, reports BritPanorama.
The champion marked his triumph with just three slices of margherita pizza before heading straight to sleep. “Some people might find it surprising,” Weston remarked on Saturday morning. “But I’ve got to keep my head together for the team race on Sunday.”
With the mixed team skeleton scheduled for the following day, Weston has the opportunity to become the first British athlete to secure two medals at a single Winter Olympics. He described having the gold medal in front of him as “an amazing kind of position” while acknowledging the challenge ahead. “It would be amazing to become a double Olympic champion; I think we do have a pretty good chance,” Weston noted.
The mixed team skeleton makes its Olympic debut at these Games. In this format, Weston will partner with whichever British woman qualifies fastest from Tabby Stoecker, Freya Tarbit, or Amelia Coltman. Each athlete completes a single run, with their combined times determining the outcome.
Crucially, competitors must wait for the start lights before launching, with any false start incurring a half-second penalty. “I think we’re going to be one of the strongest sets of teams out there,” Weston asserted. “We can definitely take it to the rest of the nations.”
Britain’s primary rivals for the podium include Germany, China, and Austria. German athletes claimed silver and bronze behind Weston in the men’s event, while their women occupied similar positions after the opening two heats of their competition. Germany has consistently dominated this event at the world championship level, winning four of the five editions held.
Weston has challenged the German team effectively, finishing runner-up on each of the past three occasions. He partnered with Stoecker for two of those silver medal performances, and despite sustaining a serious injury earlier in the season, he has regained form. “We’ve had quite a few of them now,” Weston reflected, adding, “But I haven’t forgotten how to do it.”
Despite shattering the Cortina track record on four separate instances this week, the skeleton champion remains a perfectionist and admitted that elements of his final run did not meet his high standards. He views Sunday’s competition as an extension of his individual performance. “I look at it as a continuation, like a five-heat race,” he said, while noting that the reaction start element introduces an exciting twist. “It adds a bit of jeopardy and adds a bit of adrenaline so hopefully I’ll push a bit faster as well.”
As the day unfolds, Weston stands not just as a competitor but as a reminder of the fine margins that separate triumph from near-misses in winter sports—highlighting how, even in celebration, the next challenge looms large.
