Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha
Encyclopedia
Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha (born June 27, 1964), popularly known as P. T. Usha, is an India
n 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". 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.
, 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 . 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.
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
.
State meet at Kollam, 1978.
She emerged successful in the one- lapper at an international arena
for the first time.
the first time, 400m hurdles was conducted in the women's section.
Asian Athletic meet.
title of Asia's sprint queen.
came back in1993 ,after 3 years of hibernation.
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.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n athlete from the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. 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". She is nicknamed Payyoli Express. Currently she runs the Usha School of Athletics at Koyilandy
Koyilandy
Koyilandy is a city and a municipality in Kozhikode district in North Malabar region of the Indian state of Kerala. This town is between Calicut and Badagara and is on NH 17. It can be identified with Tyndis in Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. The freedom fighter K...
in Kerala.
P. T. Usha was born in the village of Payyoli
Payyoli
Payyoli is a village on the North Malabar Coast of Kozhikode district in the South Indian state of Kerala.-How to reach there:* Nearest city: Kozhikode - 37 km* Nearest airport: Calicut International Airport, Karippur* Nearest railway station: Payyoli...
, Kozhikode District
Kozhikode district
Kozhikode District , formerly Calicut, is a district of Kerala state, situated on the southwest coast of India. The city of Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, is the district headquarters. The district is 38.25% urbanised...
, Kerala. In 1976 the Kerala State Government started a Sports School for women, and Usha was chosen to represent her district.
Career
In 1979 she participated in the National School Games, where she was noticed by O. M. NambiarO. M. Nambiar
O. M. Nambiar is a renowned Indian athletics coach who was awarded Dronacharya award in 1985 . He coached the well known Indian athlete P.T.Usha. He hails from Kerala state.- References :*...
, who coached her throughout her career. Her debut in the 1980 Moscow Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
proved lacklustre. In the 1982 New Delhi Asiad
1982 Asian Games
The 9th Asian Games were held from November 19, 1982 to December 4, 1982 in Delhi, India.An incredible 74 Asian and Asian Games records were broken. This was also the first Asiad to be held under the aegis of the Olympic Council of Asia.-Sports:...
, she got silver medal in the 100 m and the 200 m, but at the Asian Track and Field Championship in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
a year later, Usha took gold in the 400 m with a new Asian record . 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
Milkha Singh
Milkha Singh is an Indian athlete, who represented India in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo...
's 1960 feat, there was a nail-biting photo finish
Photo finish
A photo finish occurs in a sporting race, when two competitors cross the finishing line at near the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to discriminate between which of the competitors crossed the line first, a strip photo, a series of rapidly triggered photographs, or a video taken at the...
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
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
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
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
in 1985. Her six medals at the same meet is a record for a single athlete in a single international meet.
Usha has won 101 international medals so far. She is employed as an officer in the Southern Railways
Southern Railway (India)
The Southern Railway is the earliest of the 16 zones of the Indian Railways created in independent India. It was created on April 14, 1951 by merging three state railways namely Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway, the South Indian Railway, and the Mysore State Railway. The South Indian Railway...
. In 1985, she was conferred the Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
and the Arjuna award
Arjuna award
The Arjuna Awards were instituted in 1961 by the government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in National sports. The award carries a cash prize of 500,000, a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll....
.
Achievements
- 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 women's 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 JakartaJakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, 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 AwardArjuna awardThe Arjuna Awards were instituted in 1961 by the government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in National sports. The award carries a cash prize of 500,000, a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll....
,1984. - Greatest women athlete, in 1985 JakartaJakartaJakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
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 AdidasAdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
Golden Shoe Award for the best athlete - Thirty International Awards, for her excellence in Athletics.
- KeralaKeralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
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
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