The Kenyan flag, usually synonymous with the rhythmic pounding of marathon runners on asphalt, is currently fluttering against the stark white backdrop of the Italian Alps. Eighteen-year-old Issa Gachingiri Laborde Dit Pere stands alone at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, the sole bearer of a nation’s audacity to conquer the ice.

This is not a novelty act; it is a testament to the evolving definition of Kenyan sport. With the withdrawal of history-making skier Sabrina Simader due to financial and administrative hurdles, the weight of the nation rests squarely on the shoulders of a teenager born in the French Alps but rooted in the soil of Kenya. Laborde’s presence in the men’s giant slalom is a defiant statement: Kenya belongs on the slopes as much as it does on the track.

The Boy from L’Alpe d’Huez

Issa Laborde’s journey to the Olympics is a fusion of geography and heritage. Born to a Kenyan mother, Josephine Nyokabi, and a French father in the famous ski resort of L’Alpe d’Huez, Laborde was skiing before he could run.

“I might have competed at the Winter Youth Olympics, but flying the flag at the main Winter Olympics feels so unreal,” Laborde admitted from Livigno. His rise has been meteoric. Just two years ago, he was testing his mettle at the Gangwon 2024 Youth Games. Now, he is navigating the senior circuit, carrying the hopes of 50 million Kenyans who have mostly never seen snow. His dual heritage is his superpower—blending European technical training with what he calls the "Kenyan fighting spirit."

The Solitary path

Laborde’s campaign is shadowed by the absence of Sabrina Simader. Her withdrawal is a sobering reminder of the fragile infrastructure supporting non-traditional sports in Kenya.

• The Simader Void: Simader, who broke barriers in PyeongChang 2018, was forced out, citing a lack of resources. Her exit leaves Laborde as the lone ranger, highlighting the precarious nature of winter sports funding in a tropical nation.
• The Opening Ceremony: The image of Laborde waving the flag in an entourage of only three people was poignant. It was a visual representation of determination against the odds—a small team with a massive heart.
• The Event: Laborde will compete in the giant slalom, a technical discipline requiring explosive power and surgical precision. He is not just competing against the clock; he is competing for the legitimacy of African winter sports.

A New Frontier

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) has lauded Laborde’s qualification as a victory for diversity in sport. But for the young skier, the goal is personal and patriotic. He wants to prove that the Kenyan flag can fly high even when the temperature drops below zero.

As he steps into the binding of his skis this week, Issa Laborde is doing more than racing down a mountain. He is carving a path for future generations, proving that a country on the equator can produce athletes who thrive in the cold. The pressure is immense, but if his confident smile in Livigno is any indication, the kid is ready to fly.