Team GB’s chef de mission, Eve Muirhead, has declared this the greatest day in British Winter Olympic history as a series of record-breaking performances unfolded in Livigno and Cortina.
Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale delivered a stunning victory in the mixed team snowboard cross, capturing the gold medal. Following their success, Matt Weston and Tabby Stoecker, both based at the University of Bath, dominated the skeleton events, adding more gold to Great Britain’s tally.
Prior to this, Great Britain had never won more than one gold medal at a single Winter Olympics. With Weston’s win in the men’s skeleton on Friday and the subsequent mixed snowboard cross gold, Team GB has now achieved three golds within just 48 hours.
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Matt Weston’s second gold medal at these Games makes him the first British Winter Olympian to win multiple medals at a single event—a historic milestone that Eve Muirhead celebrated enthusiastically. She said, “It’s incredible. We had a slow start, but our patience and positivity paid off. Securing two gold medals today is the most our country has ever won in Winter Olympic history. Matt becoming the most decorated British Winter Olympian is truly special.”
In an emotional moment before the medal ceremony, Tabby Stoecker expressed her disbelief, stating, “Thanks, Matt. I can’t believe it. It’s a team effort. When Matt came down and we were in green… I think I’m still in shock!”
Weston reflected on his performance with focus and humility: “I felt like I knew exactly what I needed to do. After the individual event, I gained confidence and just stayed disciplined to get the job done. And now, we’ve done it again!”
John Jackson, former Team GB bobsleigh pilot, praised Weston’s exceptional performance on the BBC, saying, “That was absolutely immaculate! Matt has been the standout athlete on this track. This is history—GB’s first time winning three gold medals at a Winter Games. Matt keeps raising the bar. His dominance, especially in those first 50 meters, was stunning. He’s the first Brit to win two golds at the Winter Olympics. What an incredible achievement.”
Bankes and Nightingale’s thrilling victory marks the first time British athletes have claimed Olympic gold on snow. Their success has transformed what was initially a challenging Games for Team GB, wiping away the frustration of early fourth-place finishes.
Despite narrowly missing a skeleton team medal, Marcus Wyatt and Freya Tarbit’s fourth-place results have contributed to a new record for the most fourth places by Britain at a single Winter Olympics, highlighting the depth of competition.
With several events still to come, Team GB aims to match or surpass their previous record haul of five medals, achieved in Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018. Stars like Kirsty Muir and Zoe Atkin in ski slopestyle and halfpipe, respectively, as well as the men’s and women’s curling teams and the four-man bobsleigh squad, remain strong contenders.