'He'll get gold' - the teacher who knew Matt Weston would be a champion

Former teachers and coaches of Matt Weston, who has become the first Briton to win two golds at the same Winter Olympics, have spoken about their pride in his achievement.

On Sunday he added team gold in the skeleton with Tabby Stoeker, after winning the men's individual title.

Born in Redhill, Surrey and brought up in Crowborough, East Sussex, he went to Bennett Memorial School in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and was a talented rugby player for Sevenoaks Rugby Club.

His former rugby coach put his achievement down to his "steely determination".

Director of Rugby at Sevenoaks Adam Bowman told BBC Radio Kent: "We're all so proud of him and it's incredible to see what he's achieved.

"He was so calm and so focused. It was incredibly nerve wracking but he looked like he had it in the bag.

"He was very personable but when he crossed the white line on to the pitch he had this steely determination, that real competitive edge, but always calm at the same time," Bowman said.

"Maybe I can get him back on the rugby pitch one day?"

Justin Singleton, PE teacher and head of sport at Bennett Memorial School in Tunbridge Wells, said he was "elated".

"He was dedicated to his sports. While he was at school he was competing at taekwondo, he was just focused all the way on his sports.

"Whatever sports I put on, he would come and have a go at them," Singleton said.

"I've been boring kids for the past six months, telling them this is our former pupil who's going to the Olympics and I think he'll get gold."

His fiancee Alex Howard-Jones said focus would now shift to planning their wedding in Kent in July.

"I took a break from it, but said 'when we get back I need some help'."

She told the BBC: "We went to school together and started going out just after school.

"When we were travelling in New Zealand he found out he was part of the skeleton team. We didn't think this would be our lives in 10 years."

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