Great Britain may be short of the targeted eight medals in Milan-Cortina right now, but the team have already smashed a gold medal record at the Winter Olympics.
Having previously never secured more than one gold at a winter Games, all three of Team GB’s medals this year have been gold — and two were secured on the same day.
The team still have work to do to get past their best-ever medal total of five, though — achieved in 2014 and 2018.
Here’s all the medals won so far, and how the star athletes did it.
Team GB have enjoyed one of their most successful Winter Olympics ever in Italy. Photo by Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
Matt Weston opens GB’s account
Matt Weston was the first medallist for the Brits in Milan Cortina. Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
Matt Weston broke consecutive four track records on his way to opening Team GB’s account in the men’s skeleton in Cortina.
He finished a commanding 0.88 seconds ahead of his closest rivals, Germany’s Alex Jungk and Christopher Grotheer, turning his recent form into Olympic glory.
“I literally can’t describe it. I’ve been fortunate enough to win world championships, European championships and other things as well and this blows them all out of the water,” he said after winning gold.
“I can’t describe the feeling. I almost feel numb. It’s kind of not real. I keep touching it [his medal] to make sure it is real but it doesn’t feel real.”
Bankes and Nightingale’s snowy first
Team GB managed a Winter Olympics first in Livigno. Getty
Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale set a Team GB first on the weekend, winning gold on the snow.
It was a drastic change of fortunes for the pair who had both struggled in the individual events after a week where the British ski and snowboard team had disappointed.
Those struggles ended though, as Bankes and Nightingale stormed to victory, with Bankes crossing first in the final to make British Olympic history.
“[I’m feeling] immense relief. For me, but also the team. I think that’s what is amazing. And I think that we’ve made it — we’re Olympic champs,” Bankes said.
More skeleton success
Team GB’s skeleton athletes have proved they are some of the world’s best this winter. Getty
Matt Weston and Tabby Stoecker kept the momentum in the skeleton going as they teamed up to earn Team GB’s third gold of the games, winning by 0.17 seconds.
The team gold also saw Weston become the first British athlete to win two medals at the same Winter Olympics after he cut a deficit of 0.3 seconds on his final run.
Fellow Britons Marcus Wyatt and Freya Tarbit finished fourth.
“We’re so so happy for Matt and Tabby to do well and we’ve seen some of our closest friends just win gold, so on the one hand we’re absolutely buzzing for them but on the other hand it’s obviously gutting to miss out on a medal,” Tarbit said.
