Dartmouth Grad Tanguy Nef Wins Olympic Gold for Switzerland

A broken leg at 18 almost ended Tanguy Nef's skiing dreams, but it led him to Dartmouth College and eventually to an Olympic gold medal in Italy.

The Swiss athlete won gold in men's team combined alpine skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Bormio this February. As the slalom specialist on a two-person team, Nef helped Switzerland claim victory in the newly added Olympic event.

Nef started skiing at age two, following his older siblings onto the slopes near his Swiss home. His path seemed clear: finish high school, qualify for the Swiss national team, and go pro.

Then the injury changed everything. With months of recovery ahead, Nef connected with Dartmouth's ski coach and spent his summer studying for the SATs. After strong performances that December, he earned his spot on the team.

"I wasn't the most attractive European athlete" coming back from injury, Nef admitted. But Dartmouth's rich alpine skiing heritage gave him a second chance at his Olympic dreams.

For two years, Nef juggled computer science classes with training and travel. He competed for Dartmouth while also racing in Europe's elite World Cup circuit. After his junior summer, the Swiss national team officially invited him to compete at the highest level.

His modified major in computer science and economics kept his options open. When COVID-19 disrupted his plans to return to campus, he focused fully on skiing while keeping his degree in sight.

Why This Inspires

Nef's journey shows how setbacks can redirect us toward unexpected opportunities. His injury at 18 could have ended his athletic career, but instead it opened doors to both education and elite competition.

At Dartmouth, he proved you don't have to choose between intellectual growth and athletic excellence. He trained with his college team, earned his degree, and competed internationally all at once.

Now approaching 30, Nef has his sights set on the 2030 Winter Olympics in the Alps. He also dreams of winning the overall slalom trophy, awarded to the season's best skier in that discipline.

Beyond skiing, he's curious about applying his computer science degree to a different career. "I would love to use that degree to discover something else," he said, though the timing remains uncertain.

For now, he's chasing more medals and proving that the scenic route sometimes leads to gold.