Meet Sabrina Wanjiku The Only Kenyan Who'll be At The Winter Olympics (PHOTOS)

Skiers from African nations are usually looked on as a novelty at the Olympic Games but Kenya's Sabrina Wanjiku is deadly serious about her career.

The 19-year-old, born in Kenya and raised in Austria, has already taken her first steps on the World Cup Alpine skiing circuit and harbours ambitions to establish herself as a professional.

Significantly, Wanjiku competes in the more challenging and dangerous speed disciplines, downhill and Super G. Usually, racers from outside the traditional Alpine skiing nations do not venture beyond the less risky slalom and giant slalom.

"Because I'm a Kenyan, that makes me exotic and some people think I can't ski well," she told Reuters after competing in the Super G at St Moritz, the second World Cup race of her career.

"I want to give a good performance that helps me to become a professional."

Wanjiku, more comfortable speaking German than English, said she was already winning respect on the International Ski Federation (FIS) circuit.

"At the beginning, people looked at me - okay, a black skier always gets looked at - but when your performances get better and you improve, you win them over," she said.

She will become only the second Kenyan to compete at the Winter Games after Philip Boit, a former middle distance runner who participated in cross-country skiing at the 1998, 2002 and 2006 Games.

-Reuters