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Shiva placed 28th after two runs
At the end of competition on Saturday, Indian luger Shiva Keshavan was placed 28th out of 38 competitors with a timing of 1:39.090.
At the end of competition on Saturday, Indian luger Shiva Keshavan was placed 28th out of 38 competitors with a timing of 1:39.090. He will be trying to improve his position in the third run and hoping to get into the medal round later on Sunday (early Monday morning in India).
Men's luge training resumed on Saturday morning with modifications to the course after an investigation, while some athletes wore black bands on their helmets as a mark of respect.
Working overnight, race officials made three changes to the men's course — shortening it by 176 metres, building a wooden fence at the exit stage and changing the ice profile to help prevent sleds skidding off the surface. Out of respect, three athletes did not take part in either of the morning's two training runs, including Kumaritashvili's Georgian team-mate Levan Gureshidze, while others paid their respects in different ways.
“All of us had a meeting at the (athletes’) village and thought about how to honour his memory and his ideals, so we are wearing black bands on our helmets," said Keshavan.
Uniform trouble: Shiva vs the rest
Vancouver: Trouble is brewing in the Indian camp with majority of the contingent denying luger Shiva Keshavan’s claim that the team didn't have coordinated uniform for the opening ceremony and rejecting the money raised by the Indians.
Keshavan has alleged that the contingent did not have coordinated uniform, prompting the local Indian community to raise $8000 (Rs 3.65 lakh) as fund for uniforms for the Indian athletes.
Chef-de-mission R K Gupta, however, dismissed the allegation and rejected the money, insisting that the team had uniforms provided by the ministry.
“Shiva thinks he is greater than India and is maligning the country’s image. He didn't speak to us regarding it. We had proper attires worth Rs 29,000 each provided by the IOA and the ministry,” Gupta said. The Indo-Canadian community, including South Asian broadcaster Shushma Datt and Surrey-based company Sports Unlimited owner TJ Johal, has been raising funds for the three-man Indian team.
