Kenya at Milano Cortina 2026: Issa Laborde Became Sole Representative After Simader Withdrew
By Shadrack Kimeli | Updated October 1, 2026
Kenya initially named two alpine skiers for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, but the final delegation changed before competition began when Sabrina Wanjiku Simader withdrew.
Kenya initially named Simader and Issa Laborde
In early February, the National Olympic Committee of Kenya announced that Sabrina Simader and Issa Laborde had qualified to represent the country in alpine skiing. Simader was expected to make another Olympic appearance, while Laborde was preparing for his senior Olympic debut after representing Kenya at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics.
Simader later withdrew
On February 6, Simader confirmed that she would not compete in Milano Cortina. She said preparations had not worked out as planned and described delays and financial pressures around her attempted comeback.
Her withdrawal left Issa Laborde as Kenya’s sole competitor at the Games. That later development means the original pre-Games report that Kenya would field two athletes is no longer an accurate description of the final delegation.
What Laborde represented for Kenya
Laborde, who was born and raised in France and represents Kenya through his mother, had already competed for the country at the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games. His progression to the senior Olympics marked another step in Kenya’s participation in non-traditional winter sports.
Why the correction matters
Sports previews can become outdated quickly when injuries, withdrawals or eligibility decisions occur. Daily Report KE has therefore updated this article to reflect the final situation rather than leaving the original qualification announcement unchanged.
How the final Kenyan delegation differed from the original plan
The distinction between qualification and final participation matters. Simader had been named by Kenya’s Olympic committee and was expected to compete, but a late withdrawal meant the delegation that actually reached competition was smaller than the pre-Games announcement suggested.
Laborde’s path to the senior Olympics
Laborde had already represented Kenya at the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, giving him experience in an international multi-sport setting before Milano Cortina. His progression illustrated how Kenya’s winter-sport programme increasingly relies on athletes with Kenyan heritage who train in countries with established snow-sport infrastructure.
For readers looking back at Kenya’s 2026 Winter Olympics participation, the accurate summary is therefore that two athletes were initially announced, but only Laborde remained in the final competition after Simader withdrew.
