Daria Obratov lends Shiva Keshavan her sled for Nations Cup

Calgary (RWH) When Shiva Keshavan found himself facing a sporting emergency, Croatian Daria Obratov lent the five-time Olympic starter from India a helping hand. So what exactly happened?

Shortly before the start of the Nations Cup in Calgary, Canada, the 36-year old noticed that his sled was badly damaged. “That was the worst-case scenario”, Keshavan later wrote on his Facebook page. “My only real option would have been to abandon the race, which would have completely jeopardised my chances of qualifying for the Olympics.”

This is where Daria Obratov stepped in, and offered Keshavan the use of her sled. Being a woman’s sled, it was extremely small and not set up for the diminutive Asian Champion. But Keshavan accepted the offer and went on to drive the unfamiliar equipment to place 41 of 43 in the Nations Cup. More importantly, he also scored a single World Cup point to keep alive his hopes of competing in his sixth Olympics as the Viessmann World Cup arrives at his home track  in Lake Placid, New York State.

And Croatian Daria Obratov, who finished 25th in the Nations Cup, the qualifying race for the Viessmann World Cup, took to her Facebook page to show her delight at helping her friend Shiva, even though he comes from a different country. “The Olympic spirit knows no boundaries.”