Matt Weston storms to skeleton gold, delivers Team GB’s first medal at Milan-Cortina 2026
On Friday, February 13, 2026 (ET), Matt Weston clinched men’s skeleton gold at the Winter Olympics, securing Team GB’s first medal of the Games and underlining his status as the dominant slider of the week in Cortina. The 26-year-old capped a commanding campaign with four consecutive track records across his runs, turning an overnight lead into Olympic history.
How the race unfolded
Weston began day two with a cushion built on precision and pace, having lowered the track record twice on the opening day to lead the field by three tenths. Far from defending, he continued to attack the course, stacking speed on speed while keeping his lines tidy. By the decisive run, the margin for error was slim, but his final descent was composed and clinical, sealing the title with authority. The result completes a meteoric rise for an athlete who only entered the sport nine years ago and arrives in Italy as a two-time world champion.
A breakthrough for Team GB
Weston’s gold ends a tense wait for Team GB, which had endured a string of near-misses in the opening days. The victory lifts Britain up the medal table, vaulting ahead of nations with multiple podiums but no titles and restoring momentum to a campaign that had hovered on the wrong side of fine margins. It also extends a rich British tradition in skeleton, a discipline that has repeatedly delivered some of the nation’s most memorable Winter Olympic moments.
‘It feels like a bit of a blur’ — Weston’s reaction
“I don’t know whether it is real. It feels like a bit of a blur, ” Weston said after sealing gold. “I’ve been looking at the photos since they released the medals and that’s all I’ve been working towards — me and the team, they’ve all got a slice of this medal. Thank God it is so heavy because it is going to have to go round. ”
True to his perfectionist streak, he added: “That last run felt pretty nice. There are still things I’d like to tidy up. It’s that constant picking up of little things. To say I got four track records in a row is pretty crazy — I only found out that last one was a track record later. I was too busy crying to see the numbers. ”
He paid tribute to those closest to him: “People back at home, they are the rock that have kept me going. Skeleton isn’t a glamorous sport — we don’t get paid like footballers — but we make the most of it. When I’m away for six months of the year, my fiancée is there supporting me whether I’ve won, lost, crashed, or set a track record. My whole family, everyone back home — I love you all and thank you so much. ”
On the journey from newcomer to Olympic champion, Weston said: “Just grab any opportunity with both hands. Nine years ago I wasn’t even involved with this sport and now I’m Olympic champion and a two-time world champion. ”
Women’s skeleton picture
On the women’s side, Britain remains well placed for a weekend push. Tabby Stoecker sits fifth and Freya Tarbit sixth after the first two runs, leaving both in striking distance of the podium heading into the decisive day. Their early form continues a promising showing for a squad that has embraced the sport’s unforgiving margins and high-speed demands.
Elsewhere on Day 7
Japan’s Yuto Totsuka captured snowboard halfpipe gold, edging out Australia’s Scotty James in one of the day’s marquee finals. In figure skating, the United States’ Ilia Malinin finished eighth in the men’s event after a difficult free skate blunted his medal hopes.
In skeleton, an appeal from Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych was dismissed following his disqualification related to a helmet tribute to compatriots. On the curling sheets, it proved a tough session for Britain: the women fell 9–3 to South Korea, while the men were edged 9–7 by Italy on the final stone.
What’s next
Day eight features eight gold medals up for grabs across Milan-Cortina, with Britain back in curling action as the knockout picture sharpens. With Weston’s gold finally on the board, Team GB enters the weekend with renewed confidence and a platform to build on in the second half of the Games.
