Tekieli was aiming to climb all 82 mountain summits of more than 4,000 metres in the Alps.

He reached eight summits starting on May 6, but on Wednesday (May 17) was caught in an avalanche descending the Jungfrau and killed in the accident.

Tekieli was a climbing instructor, and renowned for achievements including a double traverse of the Matterhorn and climbing the north-east face of the Eiger by the Lauper route in 2019.

In September 2020, he married Kowalczyk-Tekieli, who has since retired from cross-country skiing.

Kowalczyk-Tekieli won Winter Olympic golds in the women's 30 kilometres classical at Vancouver 2010 and 10km classical at Sochi 2014.

She also won individual sprint silver and 15km pursuit bronze at Vancouver 2010, and finished third in the 30km freestyle at Turin 2006.

A double World Championships gold in the 15km pursuit and 30km classical in Liberec in the Czech Republic additionally counts among Kowalczyk-Tekieli's honours.

Kowalczyk-Tekieli paid tribute to her husband on Instagram, writing: "He was my everything."

She also shared a photograph of Kowalczyk-Tekieli from the summit of the Jungfrau.

The couple have a 20-month-old son together.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki offered his condolences to Tekieli's family.

"Our climber Kacper Tekieli died in Switzerland," Morawiecki wrote on Twitter.

"My sympathies are with his family and loved ones.

"To Mrs Justyna Kowalczyk-Tekiela, I send my deepest condolences."

Polish Olympic Committee President Radoslaw Piesiewicz expressed his regret.

"It was with great sadness that I learned about the death of Kacper Tekiela, a Polish climber and husband of Justyna Kowalczyk-Tekiela," he said.

"On behalf of the Olympic family, Kacper Tekiela's wife, son and relatives, I express my sincerest condolences."