An stunning recovery by Olympic luger Shiva Keshavan wowed onlookers today in Sochi. The 31-year-old Indian national lost control and flipped onto his stomach after coming around one of the courses 17 turns, sliding down the ice for several seconds before pulling off the surprising reversal and finishing. It wasn't clear how fast Keshavan was traveling when he lost control, but lugers can reach speeds of up to 95 mph, and mistakes can be costly.
Just as the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver got underway, Nodar Kumaritashvili, a 21-year-old luger from the Republic of Georgia, was killed during a training run. He was the first athlete to die in Olympic training or competition since 1964, according to The New York Times. This year, the Olympic Committee built the course with a mind to those events, making it longer and with less vertical drop, according to USA Today.
Competing not for any country but rather under the Olympic colors, Keshavan made news just by getting to the 2014 Winter Games. In 2012, The International Olympic Committee suspended India from flying its flag at the competition, citing a failure to comply with its rules. This left Keshavan cut off from crucial funding for even the most basic equipment like uniforms and a sled.
Keshavan almost gave up the sport in 2006, due to lack of funds. But he's gotten around the budet constraints by working with several other countries along the way, most recently the U.S. team. To be able to compete at this year's competition, he reportedly got a $15,000 donation from Bollywood actors and actresses.
"If I cannot represent the country," Keshavan told the Associated Press, "at least I can represent the countrymen."
You can watch the crash video at NBC here, and some footage of Keshavan training on a Himilayan highway here.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
