Hi-ho Silver for Weston
Best result for GB men in over a decade
Matt Weston managed to claim a World Cup silver in the men’s skeleton in just his fifth ever race on the sport’s top circuit.
The 23-year-old recorded GB’S best men’s result for more than a decade to better the fourth place from the week before despite leading after halfway.
The former taekwondo star and rugby player said: “I’ve dreamt about a World Cup medal since I started skeleton but I never thought it could happen this quickly. I don’t really know what to say, to be honest - it’s not something I was imaging was going to happen today.
“Last week’s experience definitely helped: I was able to stay calmer and more relaxed this time after Run 1. I was really pleased with the result last week so to better it today is amazing.
“I was in third after the first run so I knew that if I was leading after my second run with two to go I’d be guaranteed a medal. There’s a corner just after the finish line and there’s an LED screen there that just shows you a number with the position you’ve come down in.
“I was just hoping and praying that it would be a ‘1’ - and it was. If there was a mic in my camera, I probably would have broken it - I just let out a massive ‘yeaaaah’ when I saw that.”
It was Britain’s second world cup medal of the season after Marcus Wyatt’s bronze, which was a first since 2013.
Weston added: “We’re in a really good place as a team at the moment. The coaches have been amazing and I’m confident that if Marcus or Craig [Thompson] had been here instead of me, they’d also have done really well.
“The internal competition is fierce but friendly and we’re all rooting for each other to do well. We’re pushing each other on to be the best and that’s great for all of us.”