A hometown hero from Melton Mowbray has delivered an impressive performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics, capping her Olympic debut with a top?10 finish in the women’s skeleton event at the Eugenio Monti Sliding Centre in Italy.
Coltman, 29, was one of three British women making their first Olympic appearance in skeleton — a testament to years of dedication and perseverance on the ice. Against a world?class field, she produced consistently strong runs across all four heats, ultimately finishing ninth overall in a time of 3:51.32. Her result helped Britain secure an unprecedented trio of top?10 finishes in the women’s skeleton, with teammates Tabitha?Stoecker (5th) and Freya?Tarbit (7th) also impressing on the world’s biggest winter?sport stage.
Picture credit: Viesturs Lacis
For Coltman, the journey to the Olympics has been anything but straightforward. The sports?minded Leicestershire native originally excelled in tennis, badminton and athletics before discovering skeleton through a UK Sport Talent ID programme in 2017. After quickly rising through the ranks, she claimed European Championship bronze in 2024 and silver in 2025, alongside strong World Cup results that propelled her into medal contention in the lead?up to the Games.
Speaking at the Games, Coltman described the Olympic moment as a “reward for not giving up,” reflecting on nearly a decade of training, setbacks and determination. According to recent reports, she relished the experience of competing at the Olympics and the close bond shared with her fellow British sliders — a factor she said helped them all perform with confidence under pressure.
Her strong showing not only underscores a breakthrough chapter for British women’s skeleton but also shines a spotlight on Coltman’s remarkable rise from local athlete to world?class competitor. As Team GB celebrates one of its most competitive skeleton contingents in recent memory, her performance in Milano?Cortina promises even brighter prospects for the future.
