Winning Olympic gold demands immense dedication, but for Team GB skeleton athlete Matt Weston, victory brings an unusual cost: beer.
At the Milan Cortina Winter Games, Weston teamed up with Tabby Stoecker to capture the mixed team skeleton title, securing his second gold medal in just 48 hours. His individual win, coupled with setting five new track records, has left him with an unexpected obligation.
According to tradition, every time an athlete breaks a track record, they owe a crate of beer to the track workers who support the event. With five records shattered during his runs, Weston now faces quite the beer bill.
READ MORE: Local Company Operating A37 Petrol Station to Close After Decline in Trade
READ MORE: Flower-filled walk under 2 hours from Bath feels like being in Jane Austen book
“For those who don’t know, the tradition is that every time you break a track record, you buy a crate of beers for all the track workers,” Weston explained. “I’ve broken five, so that’s a lot. It’s pretty insane — five race runs, five track records. I need to supply a lot of beer for the track workers, I think.”
Weston and Stoecker’s victory capped an outstanding day for Team GB. On the same day, snowboarders Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale won gold in the mixed team snowboard cross, marking Britain’s first Winter Olympic gold on snow. After nine days of competition in Italy, Team GB had climbed to 12th place in the medal table.
As the pre-competition favourite, Weston lived up to expectations with flawless performances in both the individual and team skeleton events.
“Obviously, the individual win holds a special place in my heart — it’s everything you dream about in the sport,” Weston said. “But winning the team race was another goal. I treated it like a five-heat race. I focused on cleaning up what I wanted to from the individual event, ticking those boxes quietly, and getting it done. Now we’re here with two golds.”
Tabby Stoecker, from North London, shared her joy: “It was everything you dream of but aren’t sure will happen. I focused on staying present for my final run and improving from yesterday. I’m just so, so happy with the result.”