Matt Weston Targets Second Gold in Mixed Team Skeleton at Winter Olympics
Matt Weston, who secured Britain's first medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics with a stunning skeleton gold, is now setting his sights on a remarkable double triumph in the newly introduced mixed team event. The British sledder celebrated his historic individual victory with a modest meal of three slices of margherita pizza before an early night, emphasising his focus on the upcoming team competition scheduled for Sunday.
From Individual Glory to Team Ambition
"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." The mixed team skeleton represents a fresh opportunity for Weston to potentially become the first British athlete to win two medals at the same Winter Olympics. Reflecting on his achievement, he stated, "Doing the individual is one thing, and it's an amazing kind of position to be here with a gold medal in front of me on the table, but it would be amazing to become a double Olympic champion. I think we do have a pretty good chance."
The Mixed Team Format and British Contenders
The mixed team skeleton event features a unique format where Weston will be paired with the fastest finisher among the three British women competitors: Tabby Stoecker, Freya Tarbit, and Amelia Coltman. Each athlete will make one run down the track, with their combined times determining the final result. A significant rule difference involves a reaction start system, where sledders can only begin when start lights change, with a half-second penalty for any false start.
Weston expressed strong confidence in the British team's prospects, declaring, "I think we're going to be one of the strongest sets of teams out there. We can definitely take it to the rest of the nations, and hopefully come back with a few more bits of bling." His roommate at the Games, Marcus Wyatt, will also participate in the mixed team event alongside the second-fastest British woman.
Competitive Landscape and Historical Context
The primary competition is expected to come from China, Austria, and Germany, whose athletes claimed silver and bronze in the men's event behind Weston and occupied similar positions in the women's competition after initial heats. Germany has dominated this event historically, winning four of the five world championship titles. However, Weston has finished second in the last three world championships, twice partnering with Stoecker.
Despite a challenging start to the season due to injury, which limited his participation in team events, Weston remains optimistic. "We've had quite a few of them now, although this year I only actually took part in one because I have been restricting how much I've been doing because of the pretty bad injury at the start of the season. But I haven't forgotten how to do it so, yeah, I'm excited to see what we can do and I think the team's in a great position."
Technical Excellence and Future Prospects
Weston has already demonstrated exceptional form by breaking the track record in Cortina four times this week. Yet, the self-described perfectionist believes there is room for improvement. "I'm very much a perfectionist so even in that last run there's some bits that I wasn't quite happy with," he admitted. He views the team event as a continuation of his individual performance, stating, "I look at it as a continuation, like a five-heat race. The only difference is that reaction start, and that's quite exciting, it adds a bit of jeopardy and adds a bit of adrenaline so hopefully I'll push a bit faster as well. It's just laying it all out there."
As Weston aims to emulate double Olympic gold medallist Lizzy Yarnold, his determination and skill position him as a formidable contender in the mixed team skeleton, potentially adding another chapter to Britain's Winter Olympics legacy.
