P. T. Usha - The Payyoli Express

 Let meet the 'Golden Girl of India', in this blog.

Raising of the Express ...🏃,

               The Express, Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha ( Popularly known as P.T. Usha ) was born on 27th June 1964 in the village of Koothali, near Perambra in Kozhikode district, Kerala. She was afflicted by ill health in her early childhood days. Right from(1976) her primary school days, Usha showed the spark of athletic talent and she was the star of many sports events. In 1979, Under the guidance of coach O.M Nambiar, she has participated in the National School Games and won the individual championship. At that moment, She began her career as an Indian athlete.

The Express departured as an Indian Athlete,

• On the next year, Her first international performance came in form of the 1980 Pakistan Open National Meet at Karachi. At the age of 16, she won four gold medals for our country.  

• In 1982 at Seoul World junior athletic championship, she won a gold medal in 200 meters and a bronze medal in 100 meters. In the same year at New Delhi Asian Games, she won silver medals in both 100 and 200 metres. 

• In 1983, Asian Track and Field Championships in Kuwait, she won gold in the 400 meters by setting a new Asian record. At the age of 20, In the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Usha achieved a fourth-place in the 400m hurdles race and lost the bronze medal by one-hundredth of a second (0.01 sec).  

• She was the first Indian woman sprinter to reach the final of an Olympic track event. And the medal hunt continued till 2000. She officially retired from her glorious athletic career in 2000 and started the Usha School of Athletics in her domicile.

Awards and Glory of the Express:

           She earned the Sobriquet - 'Payyoli Express’, ‘Queen of Indian Track And Field' and 'Golden Girl of India' for her incredible records at the International & National athletic meet. She was awarded the Arjuna Award for athletics in 1983 and the Padma Shri in 1985. In her 24 years of career from 1976 to 2000, she won 103 international medals and 1042 national medals.

"Crores of rupees being spent, but we are not getting closer to an Olympic medal in athletics", says P.T. Usha - The 'Queen of Indian Track And Field'.

                                                - Being Hari😌