Winter Olympian Simader gives Kenya Ice Lions reason to smile

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 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, motivating them with Simader’s story of hope, resilience, and rise to become Kenya’s first female Olympic skier.

The donation were an assortment of playing gears, which included helmets, protectors, hockey sticks, skates knee pads among others.

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

During the youth clinic, Simader told the upcoming players not to give up on their dreams and chosen paths. 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, saying it is a great privilege for the federation and the country because ice hockey equipment are not easily available.

“This is a morale booster, the kind of support we need. This is an indication that whatever we are doing, we are on the right track,” said Mburu.

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