Premium
Heartbreak as Austria-based Kenyan skier Simader withdraws from 2026 Winter Olympics
Kenyan skier Sabrina Wanjiku Simader.
Austria-based Kenyan skier, Sabrina Simader, has withdrawn from the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games that started on Thursday in Italy.
Simader has said she has been forced to withdraw from the Games owing to financial difficulties after the government failed to refund her the equivalent of Sh12.16 million in allowances, and expenses accrued from previous global championships, where she represented Kenya.
On Thursday, Simader said she had requested the government to foot her budget and allowances totalling Sh1.3 million for the Winter Olympics, but the government was yet to support her, making her participation in the games even more difficult. She came out of retirement in 2025 after the government promised her financial support, and a refund of her expenses from previous championships.
“Unfortunately, the mental and financial stress arising from postponing delayed of promised budget has created a challenging environment, which can significantly impact athletes, as seen among to top professionals in Ski World Cup,” she said on Thursday.
Simader, 27, was meant to represent Kenya at the Games in giant slalom event on February 14.
He withdrawal now leaves Issa Laborde as the only Kenyan at the championships. Laborde will be making his debut at the Games in skiing.
Simader competed in 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Norway, and became the first Kenyan woman to compete at the Winter Olympics when she competed at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
She missed the 2022 Winter Games after the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) withdrew the Kenyan team from the championships due to financial constraints.
Laborde, one of Kenya’s youngest winter Olympians and a product of the new generation of Kenyan winter sport athletes, will make history as the second male athlete to compete for the country at the Games.
Alpine events
Laborde represented Kenya at the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in South Korea. He competed across all four Alpine skiing events - downhill, giant slalom, slalom and super-G - gaining vital international experience and announcing himself as a future Olympic contender.
Laborde is set to compete on Valentine’s Day.
Kenya has taken part in four editions of the Winter Olympic Games (1998, 2002, 2006 and 2018).
Legendary cross-country skier Philip Boit was the country’s sole representative from 1998 until 2006.
Incidentally, Boit is the head of delegation for Team Kenya to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
