‘Life-changing’ – Team GB star bursts into tears after making history with first-ever men’s skeleton gold medal

Matt Weston has incredibly won Team GB’s first-ever gold medal in the men’s skeleton at the Winter Olympics.

The two-time world champion has also claimed Team GB‘s first medal of any kind at the 2026 games in Milan-Cortina.

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He remarkably set a track record in all four of his runs and he proved to be untouchable at the top of the leaderboard.

The 28-year-old had come into the Winter Olympics as one of his nation’s biggest medal hopes – and he lived up to the hype.

He roared in celebration and collapsed on the ice in floods of tears as he realised what he had just achieved.

BBC commentator John Hunt said as Weston claimed gold: “A life-changing moment for Matt Weston.

“A wonderful, wonderful moment for him.

“It is so, so deserved. It would have the injustice of all injustices if he didn’t win gold tonight.

“Twice and world champion, now he’s an Olympic champion.”

Weston, who used to practice taekwondo, beat Axel Jungk and Christopher Grotheer of Germany to the gold medal.

It is the first British skeleton medal at the Winter Olympics since Pyeongchang 2018, when Dominic Parsons won bronze in the men’s event and Lizzy Yarnold won gold in the women’s event.

Weston’s Team GB teammate Marcus Wyatt posted his fastest run in the fourth and final heat, securing a top 10 finish.

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Weston reacts to gold medal

Speaking to BBC Sport after winning gold, Weston said: “It means everything. It means a hell of a lot to me personally.

“I’ve worked so hard for this. But everyone back home – my fiance, my family, my friends, everyone who has sacrificed everything for this.

“I’ve missed funerals, birthdays, everything for this moment. It feels amazing.

“Even if you’re not part of my close circle, if you play the national lottery you are supporting me as well so thank you so much.

“Hopefully I did you proud!”

Team GB history made

Weston has achieved something that no British man has ever done by claiming gold in the skeleton.

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As mentioned, Parsons won bronze in 2018, with his success the first medal of any kind in the event since 1948.

John Crammond and David Carnegie are the only other Brits to ever claim a skeleton medal – both bronze – with the latter doing so back in 1928.

In the women’s event, a gold medal has actually been a very common occurrence thanks to Yarnold and Amy Williams.

Yarnold won gold in 2018 and 2014, following on from Williams’ win in 2010.

Now, after his success, Weston joins this exclusive Team GB group.

Off the mark

Team GB are now finally off the mark on the medal table at the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.

They were the only country not to have a medal at all by Day 7 of the Games, but that unwanted tag has now been removed.

Weston’s success comes after multiple fourth-place finishes so far for his fellow GB athletes.

He will hope that his gold can now push some of his teammates on to add to the medal haul this month.