Matt Weston's Surreal Journey from Olympic Glory to SPOTY Favourite
British skeleton star Matt Weston has admitted he finds it "utterly surreal" to be considered the frontrunner for the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. This follows his historic double gold medal triumph at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina.
A Historic Winter Olympic Achievement
The 28-year-old athlete secured two gold medals for Team GB, winning both the individual skeleton event and the mixed team competition alongside Tabitha Stoecker. This remarkable feat makes Weston only the second British athlete ever to claim two gold medals at a single Winter Games, tying him with former skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold.
In the individual event, Weston dominated the competition, setting four course records and finishing a commanding 0.88 seconds ahead of Germany's Axel Jungk. His performance contributed significantly to Team GB's overall medal tally, accounting for two of the nation's three gold medals at the Games.
Adjusting to Newfound Fame
Since returning home with his gold medals, Weston has been navigating the unfamiliar waters of celebrity status. "Being stopped in the street and posing for pictures with fans is a phenomenon that he is still adjusting to," he revealed. The skeleton champion only fully grasped the extent of public support after his victories, realizing how many people had been cheering him on from home.
Weston described the entire experience as surreal, particularly the attention surrounding the SPOTY award. "I've always watched SPOTY. I've always been in awe of it," he told Mirror Sport exclusively. "Over the past few years, I've had little snippets of me on the show as well, which I'm like, 'Oh, that's so sick.'"
SPOTY Contention Against Sporting Giants
The Olympian now finds himself as the early favourite to win the coveted award, potentially surpassing previous winners including Rory McIlroy, who claimed the title in December ahead of Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris and England rugby star Ellie Kildunne.
"The fact that people are saying that I'm favourite to win is, again, unreal," Weston confessed. "I just feel like I'm the same person as I was before, but a lot of people are saying these amazingly nice things about me. It's very surreal and I kind of don't believe it until it's kind of happening."
Future Plans on Hold
Despite his unprecedented success, Weston has not confirmed whether he will attempt to break Team GB's outright gold medal record at the 2030 Games. After disappointing results at the 2022 Beijing Games, where he failed to medal, the athlete seriously considered quitting the sport altogether.
The two-time world champion ultimately persevered, and now, having achieved his Olympic ambitions, he's content to savor the moment rather than immediately planning his next competitive steps. "To be honest, the whole time leading up to Cortina, I didn't think of anything past it," Weston admitted.
"I was just so focused on getting to the event in the best shape possible and making sure I'm in the best condition to go out there and try and win it. So I haven't literally thought of anything post what I'm going to do now, to be honest."
Celebrating Success and Managing Recovery
Since returning from Italy, Weston has been swept up in a whirlwind of events and appearances, marking a significant departure from his normally disciplined training routine. He maintained his focus even after winning his first gold, delaying celebration until after the team event.
"When I won the first one, I didn't celebrate because I still had another race to do," the Team GB icon recalled. "So I was, like, 'Ok, amazing. Alright, let's get back, recover, sleep, get ready for the next couple of days.' But after the team event, we celebrated and I didn't end up getting in until like 4.30am or something like that."
Weston acknowledged the challenges of maintaining optimal performance while managing the demands of newfound fame, noting that media commitments beginning at 8:30 the morning after celebrations "is not a good sleep pattern to get into!"
The skeleton champion, who serves as an ambassador for sleep company Dreams, emphasized the importance of recovery even as he enjoys the rewards of his Olympic success. For now, Weston remains focused on appreciating his achievements while the sporting world recognizes his extraordinary contribution to British winter sports history.
