Team GB’s Matt Weston leads the skeleton standings after two rounds at the Winter Olympics
Matt Weston has confirmed his status as the world’s best skeleton pilot by setting a record on his way to taking the lead at the halfway point in the Winter Olympics.
The two-time world champion – Team GB’s biggest hope for a medal in Milano-Cortina – made a second statement to open up a 0.30 second advantage over the field, with two medal-deciding rounds coming up on Friday.
Weston was the only skater under 56 seconds as he clocked 55.88 seconds in the second run, adding to his 56.21 seconds in the first run on the new Cortina sliding track.
After a frustrating opening lap, which began with a costly crash into the wall near the top of the track, Weston was clearly upset with his performance.
But, under pressure from two German skaters, he was able to correct those mistakes with a brilliant and very impressive second run, shaving 0.33 seconds off his opening attempt, to give him an overall time of 1 minute 52.09 seconds.
Since skeleton medals are often determined by hundredths of a second, Weston’s fist pumps at the end of his second round were not only a sign of his elation for a cleaner round, but also signaled the significance of his advantage.
His compatriot Marcus White ranks seventh with an overall time of 1:53.21 – 0.66 seconds outside the medal positions.
White, 34, was also a strong medal contender at the Games but struggled on the technical Cortina track and a podium finish already looks like a tough task.
Axel Jungk, a silver medalist in Beijing four years ago, came in second with a time of 1:52.39 while fellow German and defending Olympic champion Christopher Grotheer was third with a time of 1:52.55.
The final heats will be shown live on the BBC from 18:30 GMT on Friday with the four running times added together to give the overall score.
Weston arrived in Cortina as Team Great Britain’s best hope for a gold medal but now has added pressure as he is likely to seek a first medal of these Games for the British team after a string of failures for the nation’s other candidates.
He has been the dominant rider in recent seasons on the world stage, claiming five race victories and two podium finishes this season as he clinches a third successive World Cup title.
The build-up to the Olympic event has been dominated by ‘helmet gate’ – with the British team hoping to wear a new design in Italy.
The helmet was banned by the sport’s governing body – the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Foundation (IBSF) – which said it did not comply with rules on shape because the back of the helmet protrudes, giving an aerodynamic advantage.
the The British team lost the appeal With the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturning the decision, meaning they cannot wear them at the Games.
The athletes said they were not affected by this problem and pointed out that all their success this season came with the old helmets.
GB has been for a long time a dominant force in the skeleton, Winning medals at every Games since the sport was returned to the program in 2002.
That was until 2022, when Team Great Britain failed to win a medal in a disappointing Olympic campaign in Beijing.
Weston’s 15th place was the highest of the four British athletes competing at the Yancheng track with White finishing 16th.
Weston considered leaving the sport after that, but after four years he appears ready to fulfill his promise on the Olympic stage.
