CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Great Britain’s Matt Weston surged to the top of the men’s skeleton leaderboard after the first two runs of the Olympic competition at the Cortina Sliding Centre. The reigning world champion executed two faultless descents to lead the field with the fastest combined time, positioning himself as a strong favourite for Olympic gold.
Weston’s commanding first-day performance saw him record the quickest times in both opening heats, underlining his elite status. At the halfway mark of the event, he held a clear advantage over Germany’s Axel Jungk — the 2022 Olympic silver medallist — and defending champion Christopher Grotheer, who trailed in second and third respectively.
“I’m trying to enjoy it and stay in the moment at the Olympics,” Weston said after his second run, reflecting on his position atop the standings. His times of 56.21 seconds and 55.88 seconds demonstrated remarkable consistency and speed on the technical Cortina track.
Strong Competition and Championship Context
With 24 athletes from 15 nations competing, the men’s skeleton event is one of the most hotly contested at Milano Cortina 2026. Weston’s form this season has been dominant: he entered the Games as both the World Cup overall leader and reigning world champion, having captured multiple World Cup victories in 2025–26 prior to the Olympics.
Germany’s Jungk sits firmly in podium contention, followed closely by Grotheer. Both athletes were consistent through the opening runs, keeping pressure high as the competition progresses.
As the skeleton event unfolds over the next two days, Weston’s perfect start marks him as a leading medal contender for Great Britain. With two more runs scheduled, the intensity will only increase as athletes vie for Olympic medals and the honour of triumphing at the pinnacle of the sport.
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