Olympic hero Weston welcomed home by proud family

George Carden,at Gatwick Airportand
Patrick Barlow,South East
News imagePA Media A man holding two gold medals and smiling.PA Media
Weston, from Crowborough, won gold in the solo and mixed team skeleton

The family of double Winter Olympic gold medallist Matt Weston said they hoped to spend time with him and "let it all sink in" as they greeted him on his return home.

Weston's brother Ed and fiancée Alex Howard-Jones met the skeleton star and the rest of Team GB as they arrived home at Gatwick Airport on Monday morning.

Weston, who became the first British Winter Olympian to win two medals at the same games, said his "feet haven't really touched the ground" since winning but that he was looking forward to seeing his family.

Howard-Jones, who is marrying Weston in July, said: "Life will definitely be different but I know he will be the same Matt Weston."

News imagePA Media A man, Matt Weston, is about to be hugged by a woman wearing a union jack flag as a cape. He is carrying a large union flag and wearing gold medals around his neck. They are stood in the middle of an airport arrivals lounge.PA Media
Matt Weston, the first British Winter Olympian to win two medals in the same games, is greeted by fiancée Alex Howard-Jones at Gatwick Airport

Weston, who is from Crowborough, East Sussex, born in Redhill, Surrey, and went to Bennett Memorial School in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, won solo and team gold with skeleton partner Tabitha Stoecker in his second Winter Olympics, having finished 15th in Beijing in 2022.

Speaking at Gatwick, he said: "I need to get the voice back from all the celebrating. I'm hoping to get some time to rest and chill with my family."

Brother Ed, who watched Weston's skeleton wins on TV, added: "It was so nerve-wracking watching him. It will be nice for him to get home and let it all sink in."

Arriving home from the Milan-Cortina games following the closing ceremony on Sunday, Team GB's athletes were met by friends and family as well as members of the public.

Brad Hall, from Crawley, who piloted the Team GB bobsleigh team, said he was "definitely not writing off" a return to the next Winter Olympics in 2030 but, at 35, would consider his options.

Hall, a four-time winter Olympian, missed out on a medal after a "devastating" seventh-place finish.

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