![\"Shiva-Keshavan2\"](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Shiva-Keshavan2.jpg\")
Innsbruck, Austria: Shiva Keshavan, India\u2019s lone accomplished and 4 time Winter Olympian, is preparing for what will be his 5th Olympic Participation in Luge.<\/p>\nInnsbruck, Austria: Shiva Keshavan, India\u2019s lone accomplished and 4 time Winter Olympian, is preparing for what will be his 5th Olympic Participation in Luge.<\/p>\n
After a summer of physical preparation to withstand the breakneck speeds and high G forces under which Luge athletes have to perform, Shiva has begun his training on the ice track.
<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel ready for what is going to be a long training and competition season. There are 9 World Cups scheduled in this year\u2019s circuit and the Asian Championships before the Olympics in February. We have worked a lot in the summer to prepare some new materials for this winter and I have been testing them on ice with interesting results. Of course there is a lot to be done and we have limited resources, but with the support of my team and our sponsors we are making good progress.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Shiva has already completed two weeks of training in Lillhammer, and another 2 weeks in Albertville, venues of the 1994 and 1992 Olympic Games. Apart from testing the new materials, the \u2018pre season training\u2019 helps to get used to the high speeds and the coordination required for steering the sled at those high speeds. In Luge terminology, it is important to get your \u2018feeling for the ice\u2019 back after the summer break.<\/p>\n
This week is marked by the start of the official events calendar with the International Training Week in Innsbruck, Austria, where athletes from all countries are expected to participate.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is going to be interesting to match my progress with athletes from all over the world. I will be able to gauge my skill and equipment and see what progress other teams have made.\u201d<\/p>\n
Assisted by a team of young engineers led by his brother-in law Nalin Agarwal, Shiva is trying to improve his equipment through scientific research and new materials. The team is working on the aerodynamic design and vibration absorption, which will help him gain the few tenths of a second that currently separate Shiva and an Olympic medal.<\/p>\n
Prior to that, Shiva is aiming to retain his top 37 world seed until December that will bring him his official Olympic Qualification through the invitation by the IOC. His ranking will depend on the number of pints points during the World Cup races.<\/p>\n
There will also be pressure on the Luge pilot to retain his Asian Championship title, which he successfully defended in December 2012 for the second time.
<\/p>\n
Stressing on the demands of his overall schedule, Shiva said, \u201cI need to improve on my current ranking and ensure that I participate in the Olympics. Then we shall set higher goals for ourselves this year as I have been constantly improving until now. I also need to keep working on my equipment as technology is a big part of my sport and everyone keeps innovating new ways to get faster\u201d.<\/p>\n
Shiva will be wearing a race suit with the names of thousands of Indians who showed their solidarity by signing up through the \u2018Citizen\u2019s Olympian Campaign\u2019, an initiative by MTS, as he speeds down the icy track this winter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Innsbruck, Austria: Shiva Keshavan, India\u2019s lone accomplished and 4 time Winter Olympian, is preparing for what will be his 5th Olympic Participation in Luge.<\/p>\n
After a summer of physical preparation to withstand the breakneck speeds and high G forces under which Luge athletes have to perform, Shiva has begun his training on the ice track.
<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel ready for what is going to be a long training and competition season. There are 9 World Cups scheduled in this year\u2019s circuit and the Asian Championships before the Olympics in February. We have worked a lot in the summer to prepare some new materials for this winter and I have been testing them on ice with interesting results. Of course there is a lot to be done and we have limited resources, but with the support of my team and our sponsors we are making good progress.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-latest"],"yoast_head":"\n