Winter Olympics 2026: Janine Flock seals long-awaited skeleton gold as Team GB's Tabby Stoecker settles for fifth position in Milano Cortina
By Emma James
Updated 16/02/2026 at 09:36 GMT
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Team GB’s Tabitha Stoecker missed out on a medal as she finished fifth in the women’s skeleton and Austria’s Janine Flock claimed gold in her fourth Olympic appearance. Stoecker came into the second day sitting in fifth place but was unable to gain time on those occupying the podium places. British pair Freya Tarbit and Amelia Coltman were seventh and ninth respectively.
Team GB's Stoecker ends 'super' season with fantastic fifth in Cortina
Video credit: TNT Sports
Team GB’s Tabby Stoecker finished fifth as Austria’s Janine Flock won the gold medal on her fourth appearance at the Olympic Winter Games.
Stoecker went into the final day sitting in fifth position but was unable to repeat her performance from run one to move into the medals, posting a time of 57.72 seconds, leaving her sitting more than a second behind the podium.
It was a dominant display by 36-year-old Flock to finally earn the silverware she came close to in PyeongChang eight years ago, when she finished fourth, as her consistency shone through with times of 57.26s and 57.28s in run three and four to firmly place her top of the leaderboard, with a time of 3:49:02.
It would see her pick up the gold medal to become, as reported by the IBSF, the oldest Olympic skeleton winner with a lead of more than 0.30s over silver medallist Susanne Kreher. Fellow German Jacqueline Pfeifer claimed bronze, 0.44s behind.
Team GB’s Freya Tarbit and Amelia Coltman finished seventh and ninth respectively.
The skeleton events run until Sunday 15 February, concluding with the mixed team competition, where Team GB will be fielding two pairs.
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Weston struggling to process Olympic gold after 'heartbreak' of Beijing
Video credit: TNT Sports
Olympics live: Tabby Stoecker speaking to TNT's Laura Robson
"I am just really proud of myself and how far I have come on this journey and for my first Olympic Games, to come away with a fifth.
"The women who have beaten me today have all won World Championships, won the Olympics, they're really practiced with this. To be mixing it with them, I'm so proud."
"Janine has almost been a mentor in the sport. If I ever needed something or if I never understood something, she's always been there, she's been so consistent and the end of the season didn't go how she wanted so to do this Olympic games and win like that, it's inspiring to me."
Olympics live: Janine Flock (AUT) is the Olympic champion
"That is the fairytale we've been waiting for," exclaims Martin Haven as she crosses the finish line and takes the fastest time to win by 0.30s.
The oldest Olympic skeleton women, but it doesn't matter as Janine Flock will take home the Austria's fourth gold of the games in her fourth appearance, after narrowly missing out in PyeongChang 2018.
Olympics live: Kreher (GER) moves into the lead
"This is her trying to pile the pressure on the lead. This is her trying to turn the screws and make something happen", says commentator Martin Haven as she builds her lead over Pfeifer to 0.14s.
Olympics live: Just what Jacqueline Pfeifer (GER) needed
It's just the run that the German needed to respond from her third run disappointment and she knows she has won at least a bronze with a time of 57.29.
Olympics live: 'They just don't have the speed today'
She'll be no worse than fourth but the Olympic champion from Beijing, Hannah Neise, is unable to top Tabitha Stoecker's run and gets her slowest of her four runs.
Olympics live: 'Another fire start for Tabby'
But it's enough to move into the lead and she will be no worse than fifth on her Olympic debut as she comes through with a time of 57.72.
Four sleds to go...
Olympics live: Tarbit's time beaten
It didn't look comfortable for the Belgium slider but Kim Meylemans beats Freya Tarbit's time by 0.13s to take the lead.
Olympics live: 'What's going wrong for Zhao Dan'
As the Chinese slider slots in-between the Brits as she's gets her worst time of the four runs at the least ideal time.
That means Freya Tarbit moves up a place as a result.
Olympics live: Tarbit (GBR) goes fastest
"That's the way to finish," says Martin Haven as Freya Tarbit goes fastest in the fourth run by 0.52s and she's absolutely overjoyed by it as she jumps up and down in the leader's spot.
Olympics live: Coltman (GBR) beats her fastest time
A brilliant run by the Brit, who takes the lead by 0.50s and grabs her fastest time of the four runs with a time of 57.60.
Olympics live: Silveira (BRA) goes quickest
It might not be a winter sport nation but Brazil's Nicole Rocha Silveira goes quickest by over 0.30s despite losing time in the early stages of her run.
Olympics live: Things are heating up
Alessandra Fumagalli is up next and she goes quickest by 0.20s on her home Olympics, but Kelly Curtis (USA) is the slider to follow and she also does her quickest run to put her ahead by 0.15s
Olympics live: Ro (USA) smashes time set by Margaglio
Barely time to breathe as Mystique Ro is the next slider to step up as she looks to complete her Olympic debut on a high - and that she does.
Smashing Margaglio's time, she moves top by over 0.40s.
Olympics live: Margaglio (ITA) goes quickest
It's not been a home Olympics to remember for Valentina Margaglio as she sits outside the top ten after three runs.
But she sets the fastest time by just 0.02s to move ahead of Marta Andzane and goes home as it stands with the start record.
Olympics live: Channell (CAN) finishes second best
So close from the Canadian, who will finish no worse than 18th in what could be her final Olympics, as tucks in behind Marta Andzane (LAT) who leads by 0.02s.
"She's had a fantastic career, a third time Olympian. The girl from North Vancouver may have slid her last," says Martin Haver.
Olympics live: Big sigh of relief from Clarke (CAN)
It's been one to forget for the 2024 world champion as she finds herself in 19th after heat three, but there's a big sigh of relief for Hallie Clarke as she posts her best time of all four runs by over a second with a time of 57.98.
Olympics live: Burger (RSA) goes first
We're up and running in this fourth and final heat as South Africa's Nicole Burger takes to the track and puts in by far her best performance of 58.98.
Olympics live: Laura Robson in Cortina
"The DJ has been trying to do some work. It's a similar soundtrack to last night, but it's not been the same joy I'm feeling on the other side of the track from the families as it's not been the best start for all three of them.
It feels like they're trying to get going, trying to support. Obviously, they are so proud of them for being here, but there are those minor technical mistakes and once you see you're over half a second behind, you know how tough it is to regain that time.
It feels too late for the Brits, but I hope for a really good run, and they can end on a positive note ahead of the team event."
Olympics live: Amy Williams on Tabby Stoecker's third run
"She remains in fifth, but she's just over a second behind Flock and that is a lot to make up, but there's still a lot of places she can perfect for her fourth and final run.
"It doesn't continue that incredibly powerful start she has. She does have a better chicane this time.
"It's that little knock-on effect from one mistake in one corner, you can still get the knock-on two or three corners back if you don't really quickly with those reactions think 'okay, I need to do this'.
"We're in split seconds of a decision here with what you need to do.
"She will know her exact mistakes. Let's just hope she manages to clean up just a little bit, particularly corner two."
Olympics live: End of run 3
And there we have it.
The British trio remain in the top 10 after run three but they've lost grip on the medals and Janine Flock has increased her lead on the German trio, who sit behind her in the standings.
Could Janine Flock be on track to claim her first medal at her fourth Olympics - and could it be a gold medal?
1. Janine Flock (AUT) 2:51:74
2. Susanne Kreher (GER) 2:51:95
3. Jacqueline Pfeifer (GER) 2:52:17
4. Hannah Neise (GER) 2:52:44
5. Tabitha Stoecker (GBR) 2:52:76
Olympics live: Margaglio produces a start record
The Italian hopeful is inspired by the home crowd to a start record, beating her start in run one with a time of 4.81s, but she's unable to build on it as she produces the tenth best time and moves up to 15th in the standings.
Olympics live: Coltman hanging on to top 10
Amelia Coltman is just about hanging onto a place in the top 10.
She's overtaken by Czechia slider Anna Fernstaedt and storms her way to her best start and finish on her competition so far.
Brazil's Nicole Rocha Silveira goes up next, but she's only able to move up to 11th.
Olympics live: Coltman up next
The third of the British trio is up next and she's off to her best start of the runs but she takes a bit hit on the chicane and stays ninth.
"She's a little bit out of control and she just needs to settle for the final run," said TNT expert Donna Creighton.
She's followed by American Kelly Curtis, who fails to capitalise and loses time on Coltman.
Olympics live: Tarbit dropping down the standings
The first bit of movement on the standings as Dan Zhao pips Freya Tarbit and moves up the leaderboard.
She's immediately overtaken by Belgium's Kim Meylemans, who posts the third best time so far, sitting 1.07s behind.
Olympics live: Tarbit goes next
Things are slowing down on the track as Freya Tarbit also drops time and finishing 0.61 seconds behind Flock.
Olympics live: 'Not the run she would have wanted'
A few little mistakes here and there as Tabitha Stoecker is unable to take advantage of the German's mistake. Her position is unchanged as she's unable to gain time and goes slower than her first two runs.
Olympics live: 'What is happening to the Germans?'
"It's like they're hitting a brick wall", says TNT commentator Martin Haven as Hannah Neise goes fourth and Janine Flock's advantage grows over the Germans.
Olympics live: Pfeifer also loses time
She set a track record in her second run last night but she's third best tonight as it stands as she slots into third and the door opens.
Olympics live: Kreher loses time on Flock
It's not the run that the German would have wanted as Susanne Kreher loses time on Flock and bleeds time on her closest rival.
Things are getting interesting here.
Olympics live: Flock goes up first
It's a fast and consistent start from the leader as she matches her time from the second run to keep her in the hunt for a medal.
"Beautifully on her sled, she hardly moves at all," TNT commentator Donna Creighton adds on commentary.
Olympics live: Can Team GB move themselves into the medals?
According to TNT's Amy Williams, Tabitha Stoecker could if she makes a few tweaks.
"All of the girls, there are little still little areas to tidy and clean up. But she looked incredibly strong, she did absolutely fine and perfect the top bit.
"Even with some incredible times, there are still plenty of areas that could make the difference."
Olympics live: Hello and welcome!
Hello and welcome to LIVE commentary of the women’s skeleton heat 3 and 4 as Team GB head into the final day with three sliders in the top 10.
Austria’s Janine Flock went into the lead overnight, having smashed the track record with her first run and claiming second on her second.
She’ll be chased by the German trio of Susanne Kreher, Jacqueline Pfeifer and Hannah Neise – Pfeifer would go on to beat Flock’s track record in the second heat to move up to the bronze medal position.
Don’t count the Brits out just yet – Tabitha Stoecker dropped out of the medals with her second run but she sits in fifth heading into today.
Whilst Freya Tarbit propelled herself up to sixth with a fourth-best time in the second heat and Amelia Coltman sits ninth.
Watch every event of Milano Cortina 2026 live on discovery+. Available across all subscription plans, starting at £3.99.4
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