Sabrina Wanjuku Simader
Skiing
Sabrina Wanjiku Simader is the first ever African downhill skier – it is her relentless ambition to be amongst the best in the world.
Her Kenyan roots and new homeland in the snowy Austrian Alps represent a unique combination in international winter sports.
At the age of three, she emigrated to Austria with her mother to live in the village of St. Johann am Wimberg in Upper Austria. In her first winter in Austria, she was taught to ski by her stepdad on a hill called Hansberg.
As a little girl, she was mesmerized by the sparkling snow and fascinated by the sense of freedom when flying down the slopes. This is when her passion for skiing was born and to this day continues to be her motivating force.
She never forgot her stepdad’s words of wisdom to never lose the passion and the joy of competing. With this in mind, it did not take long before she won her first club championship, encouraging her to dream bigger and aim higher.
In the winter of 2012, she achieved her first big success by becoming a triple Styrian Champion.
Her stepdad took great pride in her successes. He selflessly dedicated his time and efforts to train and support Sabrina in all her racing events. He spent countless hours preparing her skis to ensure she had the best conditions to win. In June 2012 tragedy struck. Her stepdad, her greatest fan and supporter passed away unexpectedly and left a big hole in her mother’s and her life.
In 2018, she became the first-ever alpine skier to represent Kenya at a Winter Olympics.
Now, with just one year to go before the next 2026 Winter Games, she’s setting her sights on a new challenge by skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
ENQUIRIES: If you are interested in partnering with OR booking Sabrina for a speaking engagement please email mark@athletemedia.co.uk or call 07952 304340.