Alex Howard-Jones appeared consumed by anxiety as she watched her fiancé Matt Weston hurtle down the track at the Cortina Sliding Centre on Friday night, her nerves visible with every twist and turn on the ice.
The tension gave way to jubilation when Weston crossed the finish line to claim Britain's first gold medal of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Howard-Jones, who will marry the 28-year-old skeleton star in July, was embraced by his mother Alison as celebrations erupted among the Team GB supporters trackside.
"It feels amazing to be honest," she said.
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"I'd told you that he'd get a gold and he did. We couldn't be prouder."
Weston delivered a commanding display to justify his pre-race favouritism, finishing a remarkable 0.88 seconds clear of Germany's Axel Jungk, who took silver.
The reigning Beijing 2022 champion Christopher Grotheer, also of Germany, had to settle for bronze.
Alex Howard-Jones appeared consumed by anxiety as she watched her fiancé Matt Weston hurtle down the track at the Cortina Sliding Centre on Friday night, her nerves visible with every twist and turn on the ice
|TNTSPORTS
Britain's newest Olympic champion had established a 0.30-second advantage after the opening day, recording times of 56.21 and 55.88 seconds in his first two runs.
He extended that lead to 0.39 seconds with a third run of 55.63 before producing two flawless descents to seal victory.
The gold medal adds to an extraordinary season for Weston, who arrived in Italy already holding World Cup, World Championship and European titles.
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Matt Weston’s family got to witness every second of that winning run right in the thick of it ♥ pic.twitter.com/HqcoxE9Cig
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) February 14, 2026
Weston's father Tom was captured cheering enthusiastically throughout his son's runs, offering vocal support as the skeleton racer navigated the high-speed course.
"He's definitely that good. I knew he'd be very close, at least second. Absolutely proud of him," Tom said after the victory was confirmed.
Mother Alison was among those celebrating trackside, sharing an emotional embrace with her future daughter-in-law as the magnitude of the achievement sank in.
Footage from the venue showed the family experiencing every moment of the competition, their expressions shifting from tension to elation as Weston secured his place in Olympic history.
The champion himself appeared stunned at the finish, receiving a hug from his coach.
Matt Weston won Team GB their first-ever gold medal in skeleton | GETTYThe build-up to the competition had been overshadowed by a dispute concerning the British team's helmets, which officials deemed illegal.
Weston and teammate Marcus Wyatt subsequently switched back to the headgear they had worn during their dominant 2025-26 World Cup campaign, where the pair claimed all seven victories between them — Weston taking five and Wyatt securing the remaining two.
Howard-Jones, who serves as chief operating officer and founding member of London-based executive search firm pltfrm search, will wed Weston this summer.
The couple share their home with Logan, a 10-year-old cocker spaniel.