Weston Positions Himself Favorably for Skeleton Gold

Matt Weston showcased his prowess as the leading skeleton competitor in the world by establishing a new track record during the Winter Olympics, securing a significant lead at the halfway mark.

The two-time world champion, who is viewed as Team GB’s top contender for a medal in Milan-Cortina, delivered a remarkable second run, gaining an impressive 0.30 seconds advantage over his rivals with two decisive runs scheduled for Friday.

Weston stood out as the only athlete to clock in under 56 seconds, achieving a time of 55.88 seconds in his second heat, following his initial run of 56.21 seconds on the brand-new Cortina sliding course.

After a challenging first run, which included a costly impact with the wall at the start, Weston expressed his frustration with his performance. However, with pressure mounting from two German competitors, he corrected his mistakes and executed a flawless second run, improving his time by 0.33 seconds for a total of one minute and 52.09 seconds.

“I was quite annoyed after the first run. I tried to be a bit too relaxed because I tried to over-compensate for race-day nerves,” Weston reflected.

He added, “It’s pretty crazy [to be the overnight leader] but I take every run as run one. I will completely reset myself, switch off for a bit and then re-focus on Friday.”

Considering that skeleton results are frequently determined by fractions of a second, Weston’s celebratory fist pumps at the conclusion of his second run not only signified his joy at a more polished performance but also underscored the importance of his lead.

His fellow teammate, Marcus Wyatt, currently holds the seventh position with a cumulative time of 1:53.21, falling 0.66 seconds short of medal contention. Wyatt, aged 34, entered the Games as a potential medalist but has faced challenges on the technically demanding Cortina track, making a podium finish seem increasingly unlikely.

Axel Jungk, who earned a silver medal in Beijing four years ago, is currently in second place with a time of 1:52.39, while fellow German competitor and defending Olympic champion Christopher Grotheer follows closely in third with a time of 1:52.55.

Viewers can catch the final two heats live on the BBC starting at 18:30 GMT on Friday, where all four run times will be aggregated to determine the overall outcome.

Arriving in Cortina as Team GB’s leading gold medal prospect, Weston now faces the added expectation of potentially securing the first medal for the British team in these Games, following a series of setbacks for other hopefuls.

In recent seasons, Weston has emerged as a formidable competitor on the global stage, boasting five race victories and two additional podium finishes this season, culminating in his third consecutive World Cup title.

“I have taught myself to love the pressure and love the expectation I have on my shoulders,” Weston stated. “I didn’t like it when I first had success, but now I have turned it into fire that I can go out and give my best.”

The lead-up to this Olympic event was marked by controversy over a helmet design that the British team hoped to utilize in Italy. However, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Foundation (IBSF) deemed the helmet non-compliant with regulations due to its aerodynamic shape, leading to a ban.

Despite losing an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to reverse this decision, the athletes maintained their focus, noting that all their achievements this season were accomplished with their previous helmet models.

Great Britain has historically been a dominant force in the sport of skeleton, capturing medals at every Olympic Games since its reintroduction to the program in 2002. However, their performance in 2022 was disappointing, with the team failing to secure any medals during the Beijing Olympics.

Weston’s 15th-place finish was the highest among the four British competitors at the Yanqing track, while Wyatt finished in 16th place. After contemplating retirement from the sport following that experience, Weston now appears poised to realize his potential on the Olympic stage four years later.