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At the summit of the twisting Cortina skeleton course, Matt Weston approached the starting point with the dream of Olympic gold firmly in mind. After setting the tone on Thursday with a flawless second run that erased mistakes from his initial attempt, and repeatedly breaking the track record, the British athlete needed to maintain that high standard going into Friday. What followed was an exceptional demonstration of skill and unshakable focus, enabling him to secure Team GB’s inaugural medal at these Games and affirm his dominance in the sport.
Weston described the achievement as deeply meaningful to him: “It means everything. It means a hell of a lot to me personally, I’ve worked so hard for this,” he told BBC Sport. He also acknowledged the sacrifices made by those closest to him—his fiancée, family, and friends—who supported his journey despite missing important life events for the sake of his training. Demonstrating his determination, Weston shattered the track record in every one of his four runs. Even with a substantial lead of 0.39 seconds before his final descent, he pushed himself to an impressive 55.61 seconds on what became a victory lap, finishing with a combined time of 3:43.33, leaving rivals far behind.
Germany’s Axel Jungk claimed the silver medal, trailing Weston by 0.88 seconds, while the defending Olympic champion Christopher Grotheer, also from Germany, took bronze at 1.07 seconds behind the winner. The pressure on the 28-year-old from Redhill was immense; despite being the overwhelming favourite after consistent dominance in the last four years, no British man had ever before won Olympic gold in skeleton. Weston also carried the hopes of Team GB, whose anticipated record-breaking medal haul threatened to collapse as results unfolded.
In the face of distractions—such as the controversy over the British team’s rejected helmet design and the disqualification of Ukrainian competitor Vladyslav Heraskevych moments before competition—Weston maintained his composure. Reflecting on his journey, he added the Olympic title to his two World Championship wins and three overall World Cup trophies, known as Crystal Globes. Four years earlier, the story was very different, with disappointment nearly causing him to abandon the sport. Weston has learned to embrace the pressure, crediting a balance of support from family and proper rest, alongside a diet full of pasta, as key to finding success and enjoying his sport.
Weston’s experience at previous Olympics, including a 15th-place finish in Beijing, fueled his determination to avoid similar outcomes. His mindset transformation proved essential, allowing him to thrive in international competition. In 2023, he became Britain’s first men’s world skeleton champion in over a decade and reclaimed that title in 2025 after securing silver in between. Weston claimed his inaugural World Cup title in 2024 and has maintained dominance since, becoming the first man to successfully defend the World Cup trophy twice. Coming into these Games as the reigning world, European, and World Cup champion, expectations were sky-high. “I have taught myself to love the pressure and love the expectation I have on my shoulders,” he admitted after his second run on Thursday. This attitude was a marked change from early on in his career, when success was a source of discomfort instead of motivation.
Before focusing on skeleton, Weston was involved in taekwondo, representing England and winning national medals as a teenager, before a back injury halted that path. He was also a talented rugby player. A talent identification programme eventually led him to skeleton racing nine years ago. Since then, adapting to high expectations has become part of his routine. Weston credits his enjoyment of the sport as a reason for his ability to tune out distractions and perform at his peak during the intense competition in Italy.
Beyond his performance on the ice, Weston managed to block out off-track distractions, including the British team’s failed appeal to wear new helmets at the Games, which the Court of Arbitration for Sport ultimately denied. This and other challenges, such as the late disqualification of Ukrainian competitor Heraskevych, increased the pressure on him as the British team struggled to secure medals in other events. Weston faced these challenges with clarity and focus, determined to claim gold. His preparation also included strategic rest, forgoing the final training runs in favour of mental recovery, light stretching, and conversations with his fiancée to stay calm. His motto, “pasta makes you faster,” reflects a lighthearted approach to nutrition amidst the seriousness of competition.
Training in skeleton is particularly demanding for a British athlete, as the country lacks an ice track for sliding; only a push-start track exists at the University of Bath. This limitation means that sled runs—each lasting under a minute—are rare, amounting to roughly two and a half hours per year on actual ice. Most preparation involves gym work to develop speed and explosiveness for the vital start, along with extensive mental visualization of courses. Despite these challenges, Weston’s methods have paid off. He is not only the first British man to win a winter Olympic gold medal since Christopher Dean and Jayne Torvill in 1984 but also the first ever British man to take skeleton gold. Looking ahead, Weston is set to compete alongside Amelia Coltman in the newly introduced mixed team event at Milan-Cortina, signaling more excitement to come
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