P.T.Usha

                     P.T.Usha

Native name
പിലാവുള്ളകണ്ടി തെക്കേ പറമ്പിൽ ഉഷ
Born
Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha [1]
27 June 1964 (age 50)
Payyoli , Kozhikode , Kerala, India
Residence
Payyoli , Kozhikode
Nationality
Indian
Other names
Payyoli Express, Golden Girl
Occupation
track and field athlete
Employer
Indian Railways
Known for
Padma Shri
Height
5' 7" (170 cm)
Spouse(s)
V. Srinivasan
Children
Ujjwal
Parents
Paithal, Lakshmi
Signature
Website
ptusha.org
Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha (born June 27,
1964), popularly known as P. T. Usha , is an Indian
track and field athlete from the state of Kerala. P.
T. Usha has been associated with Indian athletics
since 1979. She is regarded as one of the greatest
athletes India has ever produced and is often
called the "queen of Indian track and field". [2] She
is nicknamed the Payyoli Express . Currently she
runs the Usha School of Athletics at Koyilandy in
Kerala. P. T. Usha was born in the village of
Payyoli , Kozhikode District, Kerala. In 1976 the
Kerala State Government started a Sports School
for women, and Usha was chosen to represent her
district.
Career
In 1979 P. T. Usha participated in the National
School Games, where she was noticed by O. M.
Nambiar , who coached her throughout her career.
Her debut in the 1980 Moscow Olympics proved
lacklustre. In the 1982 New Delhi Asiad, she got
the silver medal in the 100m and the 200m, but at
the Asian Track and Field Championship in Kuwait
a year later, Usha took the gold in the 400m with a
new Asian record[ citation needed ] . From 1983-89,
Usha garnered 13 golds at ATF meets.
At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, she finished
first in the semi-finals of the 400 metres hurdles,
but narrowly missed a medal in the finals,
reminiscent of Milkha Singh 's 1960 defeat. There
was a nail-biting photo finish for the third place. [3]
Usha lost the bronze by 1/100th of a second. She
became the first Indian woman (and the fifth
Indian) to reach the final of an Olympic event by
winning her 400m hurdles semi-final.
In the 10th Asian Games held at Seoul in 1986, P.
T. Usha won 4 gold medals and 1 silver medal in
the track and field events. Here she created new
Asian Games records in all the events in which she
participated. She won five golds at the 6th Asian
Track and Field Championship at Jakarta in 1985.
Her six medals at the same meet is a record for a
single athlete in a single international meet.
[ citation needed ]
Usha has won 101 international medals so far. She
is employed as an officer in the Southern
Railways . In 1985, she was conferred the Padma
Shri and the Arjuna Award.
Currently she coaches young athletes at her
training academy in Kerala, including Tintu Luka ,
who was qualified for the women's semi-final
800m at the London 2012 Olympics.
Achievements
P. T. Usha
Medal record
Women's athletics
Asian Games
Gold
1986 Seoul
200 metres
Gold
1986 Seoul
400 metres
Gold
1986 Seoul
400 metres hurdles
Gold
1986 Seoul
4x400 metres relay
Silver
1982 New Delhi
100 metres
Silver
1982 New Delhi
200 metres
Silver
1986 Seoul
100 metres
Silver
1990 Beijing
400 metres
Silver
1990 Beijing
4x100 metres relay
Silver
1994 Hiroshima
4x400 metres relay
Set a national record at the state athletic meet
at Kottayam, 1977.
Captured the limelight as a junior athlete in the
national interstate meet at Kollam, 1978.
Participated in the Moscow Olympics, 1980.
Became the first Indian woman to reach the final
of an Olympic event.
Became the youngest Indian sprinter, aged 16,
to compete in the quadrennial sporting
extravaganza at the Moscow Olympics.
Participated in the 1982 Delhi Asiad and won
the first medal of the games.
Tried the 400m for the first time at the 1983
Asian Track and Field Meet (re-christened as the
Asian championship) at Kuwait. She emerged
successful in the one-lapper in an international
arena for the first time.
Achieved a record of 55.42 seconds at Los
Angeles, the very first time the 400m hurdles
was added to the women's athletics. This is the
current Indian national record. [4]
Won 5 gold medals and 1 bronze in 1985, at the
Jakarta Asian Athletic meet.
Won 4 golds and 1 silver in 1986, Seoul Asian
Games, claiming for herself the title of Asia's
sprint queen.
Took a hiatus from the sport following her
marriage in 1991, returning in 1993.
Participated in three Olympic Games, Moscow
1980 , Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988.
Member of 4 x 400 m relay squad in Atlanta
1996, but did not compete.
Represented India in 4 x 100 metres relay
together with Rachita Mistry, E. B. Shyla, and
Saraswati Saha at the 1998 Asian
Championships in Athletics where her team won
the gold medal on way to setting the current
national record of 44.43 s. [5][6]
Awards and honors
Recipient of the Arjuna Award, 1984
Padma Shri, 1984
Greatest woman athlete, 1985 Jakarta Asian
Athletic Meet
Best Athlete in Asia Award, 1984, 1985, 1986,
1987 and 1989
World Trophy for best Athlete, 1985, 1986
Adidas Golden Shoe award for the best athlete,
1986 Seoul Asian Games
Kerala Sports Journalists Award, 1999
Thirty international awards for her excellence in
athletics
Further reading
India’s 50 Most Illustrious Women ( ISBN
81-88086-19-3 ) by Indra Gupta
See also
List of Indian women athletes
List of Kerala Olympians
Indian national records in athletics
References
1. ^ P. T. USHA Personal Profile at
www.ptusha.org
2. ^ Usha School of Athletics: A giant stride
forward
3. ^ "Women's 400M Hurdles (Finals) - Los
Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics"
.
4. ^ "National records" . ATHLETICS FEDERATION
of INDIA. 2011-12-31. Retrieved
2013-08-17.
5. ^ Vijaykumar, C.N.R (1998-12-15). "After the
feast, the famine" . www.rediff.com. Retrieved
2009-09-04.
6. ^ "National records" . ATHLETICS FEDERATION
of INDIA. 2011-12-31. Retrieved
2013-08-17.