- P. T. Usha
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P. T. Usha 
Born Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha[1]
27 June 1964
Payyoli, Kozhikode, Kerala, IndiaResidence Payyoli, Kozhikode Nationality Indian Other names Payyoli Express, Golden Girl Occupation Athlete Employer Indian Railways Known for Padma Shri Spouse V. Srinivasan Children Ujjwal Parents Paithal, Lakshmi Website ptusha.org Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha (Malayalam: പിലാവുള്ളകണ്ടി തെക്കേ പറമ്പിൽ ഉഷ) (born June 27, 1964), popularly known as P. T. Usha, is an Indian 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 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.
Contents
Career
In 1979 she 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 silver medal in the 100 m and the 200 m, but at the Asian Track and Field Championship in Kuwait a year later, Usha took gold in the 400 m with a new Asian record[citation needed] . Between 1983-89, Usha garnered 13 golds at ATF meets. She finished first in the semi-finals of the 400 metres hurdles in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, but faltered in the finals. In almost a repeat of Milkha Singh's 1960 feat, there was a nail-biting photo finish for the third place. 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 400 m hurdles Semi-final.
In the 10th Asian Games held at Seoul in 1986, P. T. Usha won 4 gold and 1 silver medal in the track and field events. Here she created new Asian Games records in all the events 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.
Achievements
Medal record Women's athletics Asian Games Silver 1982 New Delhi 100 metres Silver 1982 New Delhi 200 metres Gold 1986 Seoul 200 metres Gold 1986 Seoul 400 metres Gold 1986 Seoul 400 metres hurdles Gold 1986 Seoul 4x400 metres relay Silver 1986 Seoul 100 metres Silver 1990 Beijing 400 metres Silver 1990 Beijing 4x100 metres relay - National Record at State athletic meet at Kottayam, 1977.
- She captured the limelight as a junior athlete in National Inter
State meet at Kollam, 1978.
- Selected to National Squad for the 18th Pakistan National Games in Karachi, 1980.
- Selected to the Moscow Olympics, 1980.
- First Keralite and first Indian woman to reach the final of an Olympic event.
- Youngest Indian sprinter to compete in the quadrennial sporting extravaganza in Moscow Olympics. She was past 16 then.
- Participated in 1982 Delhi Asiad and won the first medal of the games.
- In 1983 Asian Track and Field Meet (re-christened as the Asian championship) at Kuwait, Usha tried out the 400m for the first time.
She emerged successful in the one- lapper at an international arena for the first time.
- Her effort of 55.54 seconds in LosAngeles was a record since this was
the first time, 400m hurdles was conducted in the womens section.
- Usha gathered 5 gold medals and one bronze in 1985, at the Jakarta
Asian Athletic meet.
- Won four golds in 1986, Seoul Asian games, claiming for herself the
title of Asia's sprint queen.
- Following her marriage in 1991, she quit the scene for a while, but
came back in1993 ,after 3 years of hibernation.
- Participated in Olympic games from 1980, except on 1992, Barcelona Olympics.
- She last participated in Atlanta Olympics , 1996.
World record
During the 1985 Asian Track and Field Meet at Jakarta and Indonesia, Usha secured 5 gold medals in the 100, 200, and 400 meter sprints, the 400 meter hurdles, and the 4 x 400 meter relay. She also earned a bronze medal in the 4 x 100 meter relay. This is the current record for most gold medals earned by a female in a single track meet.
Awards and honors
- Recipient of Arjuna Award ,1984.
- Greatest women athlete, in 1985 Jakarta Asian Athletic Meet.
- Padma Sree in 1984.
- Best Athlete in Asia Award in 1984,1985,1986,1987,and 1989.
- 1986 Seoul Asian Games, won the Adidas Golden Shoe Award for the best athlete
- Thirty International Awards, for her excellence in Athletics.
- Kerala Sports Journalists Award for the year 1999.
- World Trophy for best Athlete 1985, 1986
See also
- List of Indian women athletes
- List of Kerala Olympians
- Indian national records in athletics
References
External links
- Usha School of Athletics in Koyilandy, India
- rumela.com
- indiavisitinformation.com
- dimdima.com
- keral.com
- webindia123.com
- oneindia.in
- india-today.com
- rediff.com
Further reading
- India’s 50 Most Illustrious Women (ISBN 81-88086-19-3) by Indra Gupta
Categories:- 1964 births
- Living people
- Indian athletes
- Recipients of the Padma Shri
- Malayali people
- Recipients of the Arjuna Award
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Olympic athletes of India
- Sportspeople from Kerala
- People from Kozhikode
- Indian sprinters
- Indian hurdlers
- Asian Games gold medallists for India
- Asian Games medalists in athletics (track and field)
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