Great Britain has emerged as a formidable force in winter sports, according to Chef de Mission Eve Muirhead, following a historic showing at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Team GB secured a record-breaking haul of five medals—three golds, one silver, and one bronze—marking their most successful Winter Games to date.
Skeleton racer Matt Weston, carrying two gold medals and proudly waving the Union Flag, led the athletes’ arrival at Gatwick Airport, capturing the nation’s imagination. Muirhead hailed this achievement as a defining moment for British winter sport, highlighting Weston as the most decorated British male winter Olympian ever.
“This team has rewritten history,” Muirhead told the Press Association. “With multiple top-10 finishes and standout performances across disciplines, it’s clear we are a nation on the rise in winter sports.”
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For the first time, Team GB secured multiple gold medals at a single Winter Olympics. Weston’s individual success was complemented by his victory with Tabby Stoecker in the mixed skeleton event. Additionally, snowboarders Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale clinched gold in the mixed team snowboard cross, while the men’s curling team, captained by Bruce Mouat, earned silver. Freestyle skier Zoe Atkin sealed the medal tally with a bronze in the women’s halfpipe.
The homecoming was met with enthusiastic cheers from friends, family, and pupils of St. John’s C of E Primary School in Caterham at Gatwick Airport’s South Terminal. Muirhead, herself a curling gold medallist from Beijing 2022, reflected on the moment with pride.
“These athletes deserve every bit of recognition for their incredible dedication and success,” she said. “Despite the UK not having natural ice and snow, our winter sports programs are thriving and inspiring young people across the country.”
Both Nightingale and Bankes overcame setbacks in individual events to make history with Britain’s first gold on snow. Nightingale, 24, expressed his hope that these achievements would motivate future generations: “GB is becoming a winter nation with world-class athletes, and we want young kids to follow in our footsteps.”
The athletes’ return flight from Verona landed at 11:06 a.m. Bankes, who served as a flagbearer in the closing ceremony, emphasized the significance of their accomplishments.
“This makes me proud and I hope it inspires many to take up snowboarding and enjoy the sport,” she said.
Zoe Atkin, who followed her sister Izzy’s Olympic success, overcame previous Olympic disappointment to fulfill her lifelong dream of medalling. The 23-year-old Stanford student described the moment as “full circle,” sharing that competing for her sister added profound meaning to her achievement.
Team GB’s unprecedented medal success signals a bright future for winter sports in the UK, positioning the nation firmly on the international stage as it builds on this momentum for years to come.