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Sports CS Ababu Namwamba has called on teenagers, Ashley Tshanda and Issa Laborde, to conquer the world when they start their campaign in the 2024 Winter Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea from January 19 to February 1.

The 16-year-old Italian-born Ashley Tshanda, a Cross Country Skier, made it to the Games after securing a quota slot based on her International Ski Federation (FIS) ranking of the women’s Youth Olympic Games quota allocation lists as of December 18, 2023, while Issa Laborde, has been representing Kenya since 2022 in Alpine Skiing and currently resides in France.

Namwamba expressed his delight at the two Kenyans and further called on the East African nation to rally behind them as they write more history for the country.

“Today our great sportsmen and women make even more history, two incredible teenagers, Ashley Tshanda and Issa Laborde, both 16 years are representing Kenya at the 2024 Winter Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea, it is an amazing feat yet again by our endless conveyor belt of sporting talent,” said Namwamba.

“Ashley has qualified for the skiing cross country but beyond representing our magical Kenya at this top global Olympic event, Ashley has also been a special guest at the opening ceremony, she sat with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and stood by the President as he delivered his opening ceremony speech during the opening of the Winter Olympics.”

Namwamba continued: “We are delighted to declare full and unequivocal support for Ashley and Issa and I urge you great people of Kenya (wherever you are) to join in this making of history by yet another generation of incredible Kenyan sportsmen and women, let us cheer Ashley, lets us cheer Issa to great heights of performance at this Winter Games.

“Ashley, Issa, your country is proud of you, your country is cheering for you, and all 50 million Kenyans are solidly, firmly, and undoubtedly behind you, go and do what Kenya does best, to conquer the world, go team Kenya, go Ashley, go Issa.”

Although Kenyan, Laborde was born in Alpe d’Huez, the son of a ski