Team GB’s massive hope for Winter Olympic gold insists ‘I can deal with the strain’
Matt Weston has been the dominant force in the men’s skeleton over the past few years, sealing back-to-back world titles, and heads to Milan-Cortina 2026 fresh from clinching his third consecutive World Cup crown.
Matt Weston struggled in Beijing but is determined to make amends at his second Winter Olympics(Image: )
Matt Weston insists he is ready to deal with the pressure of being the red-hot favourite and deliver an historic skeleton gold for Team GB.
Weston has been the dominant force in the men’s skeleton over the past few years, sealing back-to-back world titles, and heads to Milan-Cortina 2026 fresh from clinching his third consecutive World Cup crown.
It means all eyes are on him to deliver Great Britain’s first-ever men’s skeleton gold at the Winter Olympics, with every other slider singling him out as the one to beat.
But the 28-year-old is confident he has done the work to prepare himself for the mental load as he chases the missing piece of his medal collection.
“The success I’ve had over the past few years definitely adds a lot of pressure but at the same time it adds a lot of confidence,” he said.
“The overriding feeling is excitement. [Dealing with the pressure] is something I’ve been working on with psychologists over the past few years, making sure that I am in the best place to maximise going to the Games and making every second count.
“It’s all about my processes and how I approach the race. A lot of the work is done behind the scenes so that when I am there to race, it is just ticking the boxes, getting the job done, not thinking about too much.”
British sliders head to Italy with their fortunes transformed from four years ago, when they endured a disastrous campaign at Beijing 2022.
Weston finished 15th, one place ahead of compatriot Marcus Wyatt, and a funding cut to the tune of £1.7m followed.
But the British squad have bounced back, with Weston and Wyatt winning every World Cup event this season between them, and send a five-strong team to the Games. Tabby Stoecker is a realistic medal hope in the women’s event following World Cup bronze and will compete alongside Weston in the mixed team event.
Plenty of fingers were pointed at shoddy equipment in Beijing but Weston believes they have got everything right this time.
“Learning from Beijing is part of the reason I have had the success since,” he added. “It was such a failure in terms of the results we were after, it led to such big changes within the programme and within myself as an individual.
“Although it is a negative to look back at, I wouldn’t change it for the world because I don’t think I would be in this position without it. It is such a different environment and different feeling going into this Olympics compared to Beijing. I am excited for the change.”
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