Hoping to sustain early-season form
Skeleton athlete, Marcus Wyatt, is looking to sustain his impressive early-season form as he heads into a hectic World Cup schedule this winter.
Having just returned from Beijing, the jet-lagged athlete has hardly had time to adjust to life in Bath before he heads back out to the ice, this time in Europe.
Wyatt was part of the British squad of Olympic hopefuls, spending three weeks training at the Olympic track before competing at the official Olympic test event. The 29 year old placed an impressive second against a field which he is likely to face in three months’ time.
“The three weeks in Beijing were fantastic. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season really. It was everything I kind of hoped it would be. I knew I had a chance of getting a good result, but to come away with a medal - I was super happy with that. It was a bit of a whirlwind, but I think we came away with some really good results and knowledge and foundation to go back to.”
Whilst the team were in Beijing, the milestone of 100 days to go to the start of the Olympics was passed.
The location and timing suddenly made the Games seem very real. Wyatt is trying to focus on the prospect of eight World Cups back to back, starting in Innsbruck, Austria next week, but the thought of the Olympics fast approaching is hard to escape.
“I have periods where I am like, ‘Oh my God how is it less than 100 days to go?!’ It seems like the other week that I remember it being a year or even four years to go, so it has been a bit of a blur, but generally I just try and focus on the next thing. It was more of a thing when we were in Beijing but now we are aiming for the World Cup. Beijing takes a backseat because the important thing is qualifying first.”
Selection is likely to be at the forefront of Wyatt’s mind. Four years ago he secured a spot for Pyeongchang, only for it to be given to another athlete. Many athletes would be motivated by anger and resentment, but Wyatt is honest in his approach.
“Even then (four years ago) I have never wanted to do anything so much. I was so driven to go to an Olympics four years ago, that I could not be more driven now. The only thing that has changed is that then I would have been going with the idea of I’m an underdog, whereas now I am going in to aim for a medal.”
With Wyatt’s current form and trajectory, an Olympic medal is an increasing possibility. Last season he placed third at the World Cup in Sigulda, following this up with four more World Cup top ten finishes and seventh at the World Championships.
He is optimistic that his form will continue into this season and was inspired by the success of the Summer Olympics, having rubbed shoulders with gold medallists when training at the University of Bath every day.
“You see some of the swimmers around and the Modern Pentathlon guys; that was phenomenal. It was the most nervous I have been for these Games, watching Tokyo, because I could really kind of picture myself being there. That was when it hit home how close the Games were.”
He is excited for the prospects of the whole British squad this season, with his love of the sport and those around him evident. Wyatt, alongside teammates Craig Thompson and Matt Weston, is part of the most successful British men’s skeleton group ever. Each athlete achieved a World Cup medal last season and are ranked in the World’s top 12.
“This group is pretty much perfect. The three boys, we all push each other in the gym, on the track, and I think you can see that from the results and the way we’ve all been getting better and better. I think we can expect more World Cup medals, hopefully from me and the team. It’ll be a case of building and building and then hopefully more medals at the Games.”
Bath and Britain hope those words become reality on the ice in Beijing in February.