New Delhi: OGQ marked their entry into the Winter Olympics by signing talented Shiva Keshavan today. Shiva, who hails from Himachal Pradesh, is a veteran in Luge and has participated in 4 Olympic Games so far. Shiva Keshavan is India's only known and accomplished face at the Winter Olympic Games, and has been so for 14 years now, when he first qualified for the Nagano Olympic Games in 1998 at the age of 16. He still holds the world record for being the youngest ever Luge athlete at the Olympic Games.
Viren Rasquinha, CEO of Olympic Gold Quest, spoke about the latest signing, "OGQ is very excited to support Shiva Keshavan. He has been a torch bearer for winter Olympic sports in India for over a decade. And he is still just 30 years old. He undoubtedly has the potential to win a medal for India at the Winter Olympics in 2014. But for that to happen, it's high time that he gets very focused support for his coaching, equipment which is crucial in Luge, medical support and international exposure for competition and training. If we bring it all together, a medal is definitely possible. "
Shiva was delighted to get support from OGQ and said, "The support from OGQ means so much to me. Luge is a very demanding sport physically for which world class medical support is needed. Besides, there is a lot of technical support in terms of coaching and equipment as well that OGQ can help fund. This will give a big boost to my preparations for the Winter Olympics in 2014 in Sochi. An Olympic medal is my dream. That can really change the face of Winter sports in India.".
Keshavan has created history for India numerous times now. He won the first ever Gold medal for India in any international winter sport event, at the Asia Cup in Nagano, Japan in December 2011 and won the Olympic quota for the 2014 Sochi Games. He did this while setting the new Asian speed record at 134.3 kmph. Prior to this, he won the Asian Silver medal (Singles) in 2009, and Bronze (Singles) and Silver (Doubles) in 2008.
Shiva was born in the Himalayas, in a picturesque village called Vashisht in Himachal Pradesh, to an Indian father and an Italian mother. He attended the Lawrence School Sanawar, on scholarship, after which he went to the University of Florence to pursue a degree in International Relations, also on scholarship. He was picked up in a talent scout camp by an ex World Champion, Gunther Lemmerer, when he was 15 and still in Sanawar. From then on he never looked back and fought against all odds to create a name for himself in Luge.
OGQ believes that Shiva is India's best hope for a medal in the Winter Olympics. Support him in his quest to become an Olympic champion.
By Indian Sports News Network
