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PT Usha

P. T. Usha
PT Usha, (cropped).jpg
Personal information
Birth name Pilavullakandi Thekkeraparambil Usha
Nickname(s) Golden Girl, Payyoli Express
Nationality Indian
Born (1964-06-27) 27 June 1964 (age 53)
Kuttali, Kozhikode, Kerala, India
Residence Payyoli, Kozhikode, Kerala, India
Years active 1976–2000
Employer Indian Railways
Height 170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Spouse(s) V. Srinivasan (m. 1991)
Signature
Signature of P. T. Usha.svg
Sport
Sport Track and field
Event(s) Sprints
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s) 100 m: 11.39 (Jakarta 1995)
200 m: 23.25 (Lucknow 1999)
400 m: 51.61 (Canberra 1985)
400 m hurdles: 55.42 NR
(Los Angeles 1984)

Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha (born 27 June 1964), popularly known as P. T. Usha, is a retired Indian track and field athlete. She 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 as 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.

Usha was first noticed by in 1976 by O. M. Nambiar, an athletics coach, at a sports prize-distribution ceremony. In an interview with Rediff.com in 2000, he said, "What impressed me at first sight about Usha was her lean shape and fast walking style. I knew she could become a very good sprinter." The same year, he began coaching her. Quick results followed when she won five medals at the inter-state meet for juniors, in Kollam in 1978, with four gold medals in 100 m, 200 m, 60 m hurdles and high jump, silver in long jump and bronze in 4 x 100 m relay. In the year's Kerala State college meet, she won 14 medals. She went on to win multiple medals at the 1979 National Games and 1980 National inter-state meet setting many meet records. She made an unimpressive Olympic debut at the 1980 Moscow Games at 16, and was eliminated in the heats of the 100 m finishing fifth.

At the senior inter-state meet in Bangalore in 1981, Usha clocked 11.8 seconds in the 100 m and 24.6 seconds in the 200 m setting national records in both. At the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games, she won silver medals in 100 m and 200 m, clocking 11.95 s and 25.32 s. At the 1983 Open National Championships in Jamshedpur, she broke the 200 m national record again clocking 23.9 s, and with 53.6 s, set a new national record in 400 m. At the Asian Championships in Kuwait City the same year, she won gold in 400 m.


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Wikipedia

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