P.T. Usha (Payyoli Tevaraparambil Usha ) 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.
She only received Rs250 per month (RM20) as her allowance / scholarship during her school days. P.T. Usha is one of India’s best-known athletes, the queen of Indian track and field for almost two decades, the woman who was nicknamed ‘Payyoli Express’ because of her speed on the race track.
Made International debut in 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. 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.
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 (equivalent to Dato’)
The eye catching achievement was when she won five golds at the 6th Asian Track and Field Championship at Jakarta in 1985 (100, 200, and 400 meter sprints, the 400 meter hurdles, and the 4 x 400 meter relay). It is a record for a single athlete in a single international meet. Even Marion Jones could not beat the record in Sydney 2000 as she only manage 3 gold 1 silver and 1 bronze.
Her running career was between 1980 till 1999 (she retired in 1994 and came back in 1998). She even took part in Malaysian Open in 1987 and became the Best Athlete in 1986 Asian Games.
Her other achievements:
3 Olympic Games (80,84,88)
5 Asian Games (98,94,90,86,82)
Her passion in Athletics continued as she set up an athletics school in Kerala called Usha Scool of Athletics as she knew someone will repeat her feat and set a new height in Indian and World athletics arena.
Her quotes: "I feel something is missing in my life if I am not running"
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