At the Cortina Sliding Centre, British skeleton slider Tabby Stoecker was unable to replicate the gold medal success of her teammate Matt Weston. Weston secured the Olympic title on Friday evening, raising expectations for Stoecker, who recently earned a World Cup bronze.
Stoecker was fifth after her first two heats, trailing leader Janine Flock by 0.53 seconds. However, a slower third run caused her to slip further back, and she completed the event in fifth place, 1.46 seconds behind Flock. Germany’s Susanne Kreher and Jacqueline Pfeifer captured silver and bronze respectively.
Reflecting on her performance, Stoecker expressed pride in reaching the Olympics and representing her team. “Just to compete here and give my best means so much. I’m really proud of myself, the girls, and the boys," she said.
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Fellow Brits Freya Tarbit and Amelia Coltman also had strong showings, finishing seventh and ninth. Tarbit described these top-10 results as a major achievement for the British skeleton program. “It’s all our first Games, and for all of us to finish in the top 10 is something we can be incredibly proud of,” she commented. “This shows the strength of British skeleton right now.”
Looking ahead, two of the three women will join Weston and Marcus Wyatt in the upcoming team event. Stoecker praised both athletes’ performances: “Matt was phenomenal, and Marcus did amazing too. Competing with either of them in the team race will be fantastic.”
All three British sliders also congratulated Janine Flock on her victory. Stoecker highlighted Flock’s impact on the sport and her team. “She’s been a real inspiration to us, always kind and helpful. Seeing her win today was truly inspiring, and she absolutely deserved it.”