Daniel Défago (born April 24, 1980 in Morgins ) is a former Swiss ski racer who specialized in the technical disciplines of slalom and giant slalom . He was considered a great talent in the Swiss team, but his career ended abruptly at the age of 22 due to a serious fall in training.
Daniel Défago, whose older brother Didier is also a ski racer, drove his first FIS races in March 1996. Almost two years later he also competed in his first European Cup race, and regular races followed from January 1999. In December 1998, he won his first Celebrate FIS races and in March 1999 he reached fourth place in the giant slalom at the Junior World Championships in Pra-Loup . In January 2000, Défago achieved his first top ten placement in the European Cup and he was able to contest his first two races in the World Cup on February 5 and 6, but never reached the second round.
The greatest success of his career succeeded Défago on February 25, 2000 at the Junior World Championships in Québec by winning the gold medal in slalom. The Swiss Sports Aid Foundation then named him Young Athlete of the Year 2000. On January 14, 2001, he was able to get his first World Cup points in the Lauberhorn Slalom in Wengen . With the high starting number 61, he finished in a good 18th place. This result was also his best in the Ski World Cup. In the European Cup he achieved his only victory on February 17, 2001 in the slalom in Bad Wiessee . In January 2002 he was able to place in the top 30 of the slalom races in Kitzbühel and Schladming .
On December 20, 2002, Défago's young career came to an abrupt end. During the giant slalom training in Zermatt , he fell badly and suffered a fracture of the shinbone head, a meniscus damage and ligament injuries in his right knee. The health consequences of this fall were so severe that he could not return to racing and announced his official resignation in December 2004.
Switzerland
