Matt Weston finds it hard to believe that he is the frontrunner for the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award following his remarkable success at the Milan Cortina Games. The 28-year-old clinched victory in both the individual and mixed team skeleton events, making him just the second British athlete to secure dual Winter Olympic gold medals.
In his individual triumph, Weston broke four course records and finished 0.88 seconds ahead of Germany’s Axel Jungk. While achieving his Olympic aspirations was a momentous occasion, there was more glory to come for the emerging star.
Shortly after, Weston celebrated alongside Tabitha Stoecker as they clinched a thrilling victory in the mixed team event. His gold medal tally now equals that of former Team GB skeleton standout Lizzy Yarnold.
Since his gold medal wins, Weston has described his post-victory experience as “surreal.” Being recognized on the streets and taking photos with fans is a new phenomenon that he is still getting used to. It was only after contributing to two of the nation’s three gold medals that he realized the extent of the support he had from fans back home.
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK! Stay updated with all the latest sports news and more on our dedicated Facebook page
The Olympic champion is now considered the early favorite to claim the SPOTY award, which was last won by Rory McIlroy in December, defeating F1 world champion Lando Norris and England rugby star Ellie Kildunne. Despite this, Weston has yet to fully grasp the magnitude of his accomplishments.
In an exclusive interview with Mirror Sport, Weston expressed his disbelief at being the frontrunner for the award: “I find it incredibly surreal. I’ve always been a fan of SPOTY and have admired it from afar.
“In recent years, I’ve had brief appearances on the show, which I found thrilling. If I missed it due to racing commitments, I’d watch it later just to catch that brief glimpse of myself.
“But to hear people tipping me as the potential winner is, once again, unreal. I feel like I’m the same person I was before, but hearing all these incredibly kind words from many people is truly humbling.
“It’s a surreal experience, and I struggle to believe it until it becomes a reality. So I’m just taking each day as it comes, grateful to be part of this incredible journey.”
Weston has not confirmed his plans to pursue Team GB’s all-time gold medal record at the 2030 Games. Following a disappointing performance at