P. T USHA
In the track P.T.Usha represented the spirit of a great nation. Her story was a saga of talent, grit and determination.
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P.T USHA
Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha, born in June 27, 1964,a village located in District Payyoli of Kerala to E.P.M. Paithal and T.V. Lakshmi. Right from her primary school days Usha showed the spark of athletic talent and was the star of many a sports meet. 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". Nicknamed 'Payyoli Express' for her speed on the track, P.T.Usha created her first national record (in the 100 m) in 1977, when she was just 13 years old. By 1991, when she married and faded from the athletics scene, P.T.Usha had become an icon for Indian women athletes and a living legend in Kerala, where streets and newborn babies were regularly named after her. A spark of the old fire was glimpsed in 1998, when 34 years old and a mother, she won bronze in the 200 m and the 400 m at the Asian Track and Field Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
She retired in the year 2000, with a promise to groom bright young talents in her sports School in Kerala.Currently she runs the Usha School of Ahletics at Koyilandy in Kerala.
Achievements:
Won silver medals in the 100 m and the 200 m events in the 1982 New Delhi Asiad
Won gold in the 400 m with a new Asian record in the Asian Track and Field Championship in Kuwait.
Became the first Indian women to enter the final of an Olympics event in 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Won five gold medals at the Asian Meet in Jakarta in 1985.
Usha has won 101 international medals so far
Her Awards
1. Arjuna Award and Padma Sree in 1984.
2.Greatest women athlete, in 1985 Jakarta Asian Athletic Meet.
3. Best Athlete in Asia Award in 1984,1985,1986,1987,and 1989.
4. Marshal Tito award for the best railway sportsperson in 1984,1985,1989 and 1990
5. Thirty International Awards, for her excellence in Athletics.
6. Kerala Sports Journalists Award for the year 1999.
World Trophy for best Athlete 1985, 1986
Reference: www.ptusha.org
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