Paul Accola joined the Swiss national alpine skiing team in 1985 and came in third in the slalom at that year’s Junior World Championships. He made his debut as a senior in 1988 and won a bronze medal in the combined at that year’s Winter Olympics, while failing to complete the slalom. He earned his first two World Cup podium finishes in 1989, as well as a silver medal in the combined at that year’s World Championships, where he was also fourth in the slalom. He returned to the Olympics in 1992, competing in all five disciplines, but did not win a medal; he came closest in the Super G, where he was fourth. Success was sporadic for Accola for the remainder of his career, including a best finish of sixth in the combined at the 1994 Winter Olympics and seventh in the giant slalom at the 1998 edition, but he won bronze medals in the combined at the 1999 and 2001 World Championships, the latter of which was his last major international podium finish.
After a fifth and final Olympic appearance in 2002, where he was sixth in the combined and tenth in the Super G, Accola eased into a retirement that he announced on his 38th birthday. Over the course of his career, he earned 26 World Cup podium finishes between 1988 and 2000, seven of which were victories (thrice in the combined, twice in the Super G, and once each in the slalom and giant slalom). During his athletic career he worked on his family’s farm, but he later became involved in various entrepreneurial adventures. Tragedy struck in 2012 when he accidentally killed a child with a riding mower, but a Swiss court found him not liable because he had told the children several times not to play in the area while he was mowing. His sister Martina was also an international alpine skier who competed in the 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympics.
Switzerland