Skeleton World Championships: GB one-two as Matt Weston wins gold and Marcus Wyatt silver

Great Britain claimed a historic one-two at the skeleton World Championships as Matt Weston won gold for a second time.

Weston set a track record in Lake Placid, USA, on Friday as he held on to his overnight lead, while compatriot Marcus Wyatt secured silver.

Weston’s overall time from his four runs was three minutes 35.48 seconds, 1.90 seconds ahead of Wyatt, with Germany’s Axel Jungk a further 0.03 back in third.

It is the first time two British sliders have finished on the same podium at the Worlds and Weston becomes Britain’s first two-time world champion.

His previous gold came in 2023, but this year the 28-year-old has done the double having defended his overall World Cup title last month.

Wyatt, 33, was also second in the overall World Cup standings – his best finish – and has followed that up with his first Worlds medal.

Two heats took place on Thursday, with Weston posting the quickest time in each to hold the lead overnight with 1:49.02 – 0.89 seconds ahead of Wyatt.

The temperature dropped overnight from 6C to -7C, making for a much faster track on Friday, and Weston took advantage during heat three to cut the track record from 52.87 to 52.80.

Wyatt dropped to third, narrowly behind Jungk, who trailed Weston by 1.65 seconds heading into the final heat.

But Wyatt produced a final run of 53.88 to go back in front of Jungk, before Weston held his nerve with 53.66 to clinch victory.

Weston won his first Worlds gold in St Moritz in 2023, but last year had to settle for silver in Winterberg after finishing 0.23 seconds behind Germany’s Christopher Grotheer, who slipped from fourth to seventh after two underwhelming runs on Friday.