Olympic champ Matt Weston honoured by university
BBCOlympic gold medallist Matt Weston has been awarded an honorary degree from the University of Kent during graduation ceremonies in Canterbury.
The Team GB skeleton racer, who won gold at this year's Milan Cortina Winter Games in Italy, received a Doctor of the University degree on Monday.
Weston, 29, from Crowborough in East Sussex, called it "a big honour", adding that the last several months since his sporting triumph had been "a whirlwind".
Born in Redhill, Surrey, and an alumni of Bennett Memorial School in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, he became the first British Winter Olympian to win two medals at the same games in February.
He bagged both solo and team gold, the latter with his skeleton partner Tabitha Stoecker, having previously finished 15th in Beijing in 2022.
The university said the awards recognised people who had made "exceptional contributions" in fields including sport, education, community service and the arts.
"This is another crazy thing to happen to me since winning Olympic gold," Weston said of Monday's award.
"I've met, like (former Liverpool FC manager) Jürgen Klopp, who gave me his number, and had Katherine Jenkins sing me Happy Birthday.
"I was even invited into the royal box at Wimbledon - so I just keep thinking to myself, 'Is this even real?'"
"But today is really is a huge honour," he added.
"It feels very special to be recognised for the hard work and sacrifice it's taken to get to this point."
Weston also said he had recently undergone a hip operation, his second surgical procedure since fixing the shoulder injury which dogged him during the Olympics.
"I was held together with pain killers and tape while I was competing, but we kept that under wraps.
"Actually, I had to push hip op back a couple of months in order to get married. I really didn't want to be on crutches going down the aisle," he added.
Weston said he planned to return to racing this year and would "focus on development and setting the foundations for the next four years".
Others honoured included Matt Green, known as The Rapping Science Teacher, Herne Bay charity founder Maya Amangeldiyeva and the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover and Bishop in Canterbury.
Comedy trio Pappy's, whose members met while studying at the university, also received special degrees.
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