The number of East Africans who know about Winter Olympics is quite low but that shouldn’t be a shocker considering the warm equatorial climate experienced in the region.
This, however, hasn’t stopped Sabrina Simader Wanjiku from participating in the sporting and on top of that, eye a major title.
Simader represents the country at the World Ski Championships 2021 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy last month with the skier known as “Snow Leopard” taking part in three disciplines – Women’s Alpine Combined, Super G and Downhill.
She hopes to become a force to reckon with and clinch several titles.
“My goal is to show my fullest potential and to be as fast as I can possibly be,” Simader, whose favourite event is Super G, told reporters in Nairobi.
She carved a name in the sport having previously competed in the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018 in Giant Slalom and Super G. Before that, she finished top 25 in all her events at the Youth Winter Olympics, Lillehammer 2016.
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The 22-year-old lady, who was also appointed in 2018 as a UN environment ambassador, lives in Austria where she has morphed into a celebrity because of her skating skills and rather unexpected participation in the sport.
“It was my step-father’s dream to have a Kenyan [in the Winter Olympics],” Simader told the BBC, before adding: “And mine too.”
Her journey to the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, started when she was just three years old. Her step-father Josef owned a ski lift and took Simader out on the slopes. He acted as her trainer and taught her what she needed to know.
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Now nicknamed the ‘Snow Leopard’, she has mastered her art and she’s hoping she’s become the first Kenyan to clinch the winter Olympics.
“At the age of three, I emigrated to Austria with my mother to live in the village of St. Johann am Wimberg in Upper Austria,” she said.
“In my first winter in Austria I was taught to ski by my stepfather on a hill called Hansberg. Even as a little girl I was fascinated by the white, sparkling texture of snow and the wonderful feeling of freedom when shooting down the slopes.
“In my first junior competition in which I participated, all the other girls in my age category were faster than me
“This only fed my ambition to improve and to win competitions. I took to heart my dad’s inspirational assurances that ‘Winning is not as important as the passion and the joy of competing’.
“With this in mind, it did not take long before I won my first club championship encouraging me to dream bigger and aim higher. In the winter of 2012 I achieved my first big success by becoming triple Styrian Champion.”
The last time she visited Kenya was six years ago, but Simader says the reaction and support from the Kenyan public has been positive.
“Kenyans are really impressed,” she said. “They have been really supportive and that gives me power.”
