Winter Olympics: Team GB's Matt Weston on course for memorable skeleton gold at Milano Cortina: 'Pasta makes you faster!'
By Will Conroy
Updated 12/02/2026 at 12:45 GMT
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Team GB medal hopeful Matt Weston is still "after perfection" despite having the overnight lead in the men's skeleton thanks to a track record in the second of his two runs on Thursday. The 28-year-old has a 0.3-second advantage at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final two runs on Friday. Weston told TNT Sports he "still made some mistakes", but top spot "is an amazing place to be".
Watch: Weston says he is 'after perfection' despite lighting up skeleton heats
Video credit: TNT Sports
Team GB’s Matt Weston is still "after perfection" despite securing the overnight lead in the men’s skeleton at the Winter Olympics, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
The 28-year-old has a 0.3-second advantage over Axel Jungk of Germany, who is second in the standings after the first two runs.
Although he believes there is room for improvement, Weston said pole position "is an amazing place to be" ahead of the final two runs on Friday.
On whether he can ask for much more, Weston told TNT Sports: "To be honest, I kind of can. I am after perfection, and I have still made some mistakes on that second run.
"It is an amazing place to be. The fact that I have made some mistakes, I have got some things to clear up, and I am sitting in the top spot, so it is a very lovely place to be."
Despite the acknowledgement of errors during his second run, Weston set the track record in Cortina d’Ampezzo with a time of 55.88.
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Watch: Team GB medal hope Weston ROARS after topping skeleton heats
Video credit: TNT Sports
Combined with his first run of 56.21, the Brit finds himself at the top of the standings with an overall time of 1:52.09.
With Team GB yet to win a medal in this year’s Winter Olympics, there will be plenty of hopes riding on the reigning world champion and overall World Cup winner this season.
Weston plans on taking it easy before his final two runs, with one bit of nutrition key to his performance on Friday.
Asked what his plans are between now and going for a gold, he said: "Chill out really, take my foot off the gas, like I do between runs.
"To be honest, eat a lot of pasta. Pasta makes you faster, so let’s go for that, it is a good job we are in Italy."
There was plenty of support for Weston on Thursday, with the Brit revealing he could hear his family at the top, while he was also getting words of advice from Princess Anne.
"She was giving me some tips on corner 9!" Weston joked. "No, it is lovely we have all the support here and especially from royalty as well, so it is pretty amazing. She is very lovely, very friendly."
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How will GB's Weston prepare ahead of gold medal tilt? Williams shares all
Video credit: TNT Sports
Weston’s teammate and room-mate Marcus Wyatt sits seventh in the standings after the first two runs, with an overall time of 1:53.21.
Asked about how the pair will now be preparing, former Team GB skeleton racer Amy Williams said on TNT Sports: "They're really close best friends, and I generally feel they will be discussing lines now.
"The coaches will have watched the track, they might be watching their runs again, looking at the key corners they could titivate.
"They will look through, they won't do crazy amounts of analysis. Personally, I would let the coaches do that.
"The athletes will be doing their own recovery, doing their cool downs, stretches, eating, fuelling correctly and making sure they get the best rest, just to reset the brain for another day of racing tomorrow."
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She added: "You will be preparing the sled, you will be polishing those runners again with sandpaper just to get any tiny scratches out.
"You will be making sure all the bolts are okay, making sure everything is perfect with the sled."
The third runs will begin at 18:30 GMT on Friday, while the fourth and final runs are scheduled to get underway at 20:05.
Watch every event of Milano Cortina 2026 live on discovery+. Available across all subscription plans, starting at £3.99.
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