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Torino Days 1 and 2: Old luge, but don't I look great

New York Daily News front page, 12.2.06

“The fans here gave me tremendous support. It seemed that everybody were cheering India."
- Shiva Keshavan, who finished 25th in the luge at the Torino games on Sunday. (source: Press Trust of India)

Shiva Keshavan couldn't afford a brand new luge to take to Torino, because he had already spent all his money on a new racing suit. Remember this next time you see Sachin Tendulkar hooning around the streets of Mumbai in another new Ferrari.

Keshavan was India's sole competitor at Nagano and Salt Lake City. This time, he refused to march in the opening ceremony on Friday night because, as NDTV reports, of what he called was the presence of a large number of officials from India, who have done nothing to promote winter sports in India.

His 25th place was, at least, better than that of Venezuela's own Werner Hoeger, who finished 32nd out of 36 entrants. The Seattle Times claims Hoeger as a local because, well, he is.

Oh, and Italy's Armin Zoeggeler won the gold medal.

Chad Hedrick won the USA's first gold medal of the Torino games on Saturday in the 5000m speed skating. Sunday's edition of the New York Daily News produced the masterful effort of placing not just Hedrick's gold medal, but 9/11, into their true perspectives all in one front page.