Olympian Skier Sabrina Simader Equips Kenya Ice Lions, Holds Clinic To Inspire Youth 

_{Celebrated Kenyan Winter Olympian skier Sabrina Wanjiku Simader donating ice hockey equipments to Kenya Federation of Ice Sports at the Panari Hotel Ice Rink in Nairobi on Saturday June 7, 2025. PHOTO/ KELLY AYODI}

NAIROBI, Kenya- Celebrated Kenyan Winter Olympian skier Sabrina Wanjiku Simader and her Austrian ice hockey player boyfriend  Manuel Trausenegger donated state of the art equipment to the national ice hockey team, the Kenya Ice Lions at the Panari Hotel Ice Rink in Nairobi at the weekend.

At the same time, the duo held special clinics for hundreds of upcoming  ice hockey players who they motivated with Simader’s tedious journey of hope,  resilience and rise to the top to become the first ever Kenyan female skier Olympian.

The donations were an assortment of playing gear, that included helmets, protectors, hockey sticks, skates, knee pads among others, worth millions of shillings.

_{Celebrated Kenyan Winter Olympian skier Sabrina Wanjiku Simader signs souvenirs and autographs at the Panari Hotel in Nairobi on Saturday June 7, 2025. PHOTO/ KELLY AYODI}

” We believe this kind of gesture we are extending to the Kenya Federation of Ice Sports (Kefis) will help to take the game to the next level,” Simader told Standard Sports.

“We believe the donation will help to keep the game going in Kenya, they will inspire the players, especially the youth to dream big and be resilient in their chosen career paths.We believe they will keep focus in the sport and play the game with lots of fun,” she underlined.

And what inspired her and the boyfriend to extend this kind gesture to the country?

“It’s just the connection between skiing and ice hockey. Kenya is used to summer sports like athletics, rugby football etc, but ice hockey and skiing are winter games which are very fringe in Kenya.

_{Celebrated Kenyan Winter Olympian skier Sabrina Wanjiku Simader donating ice hockey equipments to Kenya Federation of Ice Sports at the Panari Hotel Ice Rink in Nairobi on Saturday June 7, 2025. PHOTO/ KELLY AYODI}

“So our aim is to make winter sports visible in the country so they can be easily embraced by Kenyans,” Simader, who is ranked 78th globally in skiing, explained.

During the youth clinic that was also held in Panari, Simader told the upcoming players not to give up on their dreams and chosen paths, no matter what is happening in their lives. She also signed hundreds of autographs and souvenirs presented by the players, teachers, parents, fans during the occasion.

Kenya Ice Lions captain Benjamin Mburu hailed the donations as a great privilege for the federation and the country as ice hockey equipment are not available locally.

“This is a morale booster, the kind of support that we need, an indication that whatever we are doing we are in the right direction,” Mburu stated.

“It is good to have Sabrina with us, because her sport which is skiing and our ice hockey are sisters, so we are glad to meet with her, exchange ideas and see how we can grow the two games here in the country.

_{Celebrated Kenyan Winter Olympian skier Sabrina Wanjiku Simader donating ice hockey equipments to Kenya Federation of Ice Sports at the Panari Hotel Ice Rink in Nairobi on Saturday June 7, 2025. PHOTO/ KELLY AYODI}

“Sabrina is already on Olympic level, so bringing her here has inspired our youths who are also dreaming to reach those heights in their sporting careers,” Mburu stated.

Kefis Vice President Ali Said Kilanga was glad that the donations came in the backdrop of a 9-5 victory for Kenya Ice Lions against Team World during the Madaraka Day Cup held at the Panari last Monday.

“Ice hockey gears are very challenging to get in Kenya, we only rely on friends like Sabrina and well wishers,” Kilanga noted.

_{Celebrated Kenyan Winter Olympian skier Sabrina Wanjiku Simader signs souvenirs and autographs at the Panari Hotel in Nairobi on Saturday June 7, 2025. PHOTO/ KELLY AYODI}

” These equipment that we have received will mostly be used by our youths because they are the future of the sport.

” As a federation, we have so much lined up in the course of next season including the African Cup, the Dream Cup among others,” Kilanga underlined.