Inspired by 'Cool Runnings,' Indian Luge Hopeful Dodges Sheep and Trucks
Terrified or focused? Both? :: AFP/Getty Images
Our friends at Time produced a video showing the plight of Indian luge athlete Shiva Keshavan who's one of only three Indians who will participate in the Sochi games beginning on February 7. Keshavan and his compatriots will compete as independents, under the Olympic flag, due to the International Olympic Committee's suspension of the Indian Olympic Association over election issues. That difficulty, though, is nothing compared to the challenge of training for a world class luge competition without any luge tracks.
So, this is part of John Candy's enduring legacy: Keshavan fell in love with luge when he saw Cool Runnings, the now 21-year-old classic starring Candy in the based-on-a-true story about the Jamaican bobsled team's effort to qualify for the games.
In lieu of tracks, Keshavan's ridiculous do-it-yourself luge training consists of whipping down curvy highways in the Himalayan foothills using wheels instead of blades, at times dodging sheep and trucks. Basically, his training is similar to near-death experiences I had every snow day in the mid-nineties. Kevashan ranked 31 out of 39 at the 2010 games and we wish him good luck this time around. SHIVA!!!!!
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