Team GB celebrated an unprecedented day at the Winter Olympics, with records shattering in Livigno and Cortina as British athletes delivered outstanding performances. Chef de mission Eve Muirhead described it as the greatest day in British Winter Olympic history.
Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale captured gold in the mixed team snowboard cross, a historic first for Great Britain on snow. Soon after, Matt Weston and Tabby Stoecker, both affiliated with the University of Bath, continued the momentum by securing gold in the skeleton events.
This marks a significant milestone: Great Britain had never before won more than one gold medal at the same Winter Olympics. Thanks to Weston’s victory in the men’s skeleton on Friday, the nation now boasts three golds in just 48 hours. Weston also made history by becoming the first British athlete to claim multiple medals at the same Winter Games.
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Reflecting on the day’s achievements, Muirhead stated, “It’s incredible. Although we had a slow start, the team stayed positive and patient, knowing opportunities would come. Earning two gold medals today is the most we’ve ever had at a British Winter Olympics. For Matt to become the most decorated British Winter Olympian is truly special.”
Stoecker, overwhelmed with emotion before their medal ceremony, shared, “Thanks, Matt. I can’t believe it. This is a team effort. When Matt secured his run and we were in the green, I was in shock!”
Weston added, “I felt prepared and confident after the individual event. I focused on staying consistent and getting the job done. We did it again!”
John Jackson, former Team GB bobsleigh pilot, praised Weston during BBC coverage: “That performance was flawless. He has dominated the track. This is history—the first time GB won three golds at one Winter Games. Matt keeps setting new standards, and his run was thrilling, especially the explosive first 50 meters. Winning two golds at a Winter Olympics is a phenomenal achievement.”
Bankes and Nightingale’s exciting victory also erased the frustration from Team GB’s earlier near-misses, including three fourth-place finishes. Ironically, after Marcus Wyatt and Freya Tarbit narrowly missed a skeleton team medal, Great Britain now holds the record for the most fourth-place finishes at a single Games.
Looking ahead, Team GB aims to match or surpass its record haul of five medals from the Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. Medal prospects remain strong as Kirsty Muir and Zoe Atkin vie for podium spots in ski slopestyle and ski halfpipe, while the men’s and women’s curling teams and the four-man bobsleigh squad also remain strong contenders.