It is 16°C in Krasnaya Polyana, a venue for mountain cluster events in Sochi, Russia. Shiva Keshavan sits on the luge, and his calves tauten on the steel runners as he glides across the ice track with spiked gloves. He lowers his head to minimise air resistance and straightens his legs. The sled is now gliding on the 1.814 km-long artificially-iced track at the speed of 130 kmph.

In February 2014, Shiva Keshavan, a 32-year-old Manali resident, will represent India at the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia in luge, the fastest of all sledging sports often compared with F1 cars and fighter jets