Matt Weston Dominates Olympic Skeleton Event as Gold Medal Favourite
Team GB's Matt Weston has made a stunning start to his Olympic skeleton campaign at the Cortina d'Ampezzo track, breaking the course record twice during the initial heats. The British athlete now holds a commanding lead of 0.3 seconds, positioning himself as the frontrunner to secure Britain's first medal of these Winter Games. The final two heats on Friday will determine the podium placements, with Weston appearing destined for the gold medal position.
Unprecedented Dominance in Skeleton Racing
The 29-year-old from Tunbridge Wells enters these Olympics as both the reigning world champion and World Cup title holder, having claimed victory in five of this season's seven World Cup races. His teammate Marcus Wyatt secured wins in the remaining two events, making this a potentially historic competition for British skeleton. Weston's credentials include two individual world championship titles, captured first in 2023 and again in 2025, alongside three world silver medals in the mixed team event.
Weston's remarkable achievements extend to European competition, where he has twice been crowned champion in 2023 and 2026. He stands as the first British male athlete to win three overall World Cup titles, establishing himself as arguably Team GB's strongest gold medal prospect across all disciplines at these Games.
Athletic Background Across Multiple Sports
Before his skeleton success, Weston demonstrated exceptional athletic ability in two other demanding sports. As a youth competitor, he represented England in taekwondo at both national and European levels, earning international honours before a stress fracture in his back forced his retirement at age seventeen. Simultaneously, he excelled as a rugby player, representing Kent and Sevenoaks RFC while also participating in the Saracens Academy college programme.
His transition to skeleton began in 2017 when a weightlifting coach suggested he try the UK Sport talent identification programme called Discover Your Gold. This initiative introduced him to the sport that would become his professional focus. During his early development, Weston trained with the Royal Marines to build the specific strength and technique required for elite skeleton competition.
Rapid Rise Through Skeleton Ranks
Weston's competitive skeleton career began in 2019, when he immediately demonstrated his potential by winning two Europa Cup titles in his first three races. The Europa Cup represents the second tier of international skeleton competition. His progression continued rapidly with a World Cup silver medal in Innsbruck during 2020, achieved in just his fifth elite circuit appearance. The breakthrough gold medal followed in November 2021, marking Britain's first World Cup skeleton victory in fourteen years.
The Beijing 2022 Olympics brought disappointment, with Weston finishing fifteenth overall as Team GB failed to secure any skeleton medals for the first time since the sport's Olympic inclusion. This result reportedly led him to consider retiring from competition. However, he persevered and achieved redemption in 2023 by winning his first world championship title, becoming Britain's first skeleton world champion since Kristan Bromley's 2008 victory.
Pursuit of Olympic Glory
Since his world championship breakthrough, Weston has established himself as a dominant force on the World Cup circuit. In January of this Olympic year, he secured his second overall World Cup title, further solidifying his status as Britain's most decorated slider at world championship level. The only significant achievement missing from his impressive resume is Olympic gold, a gap he appears poised to fill based on his current performance in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Weston's journey from elite competitor in taekwondo and rugby to Olympic skeleton favourite represents one of British sport's most remarkable transformation stories. His technical mastery of the sled, combined with his diverse athletic background, has created a competitor capable of breaking records and leading the field in one of winter sport's most demanding disciplines.
