PT Usha

PT Usha was born on June 27, 1964, to a humble family in the town of Payyoli, in Calicut, Kerala, where she grew up to become one of the most legendary female track and field athletes of all time. Her full name is Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha. She did not have a fortunate upbringing and was plagued by a number of health concerns as well as extreme poverty. Her tremendous dedication to athletics and sports gained her the moniker 'Payyoli Express', which means 'Queen of Indian Track and Field' in English.

Early Life

Pilavullakandi Thekkeraparambil On June 27, 1964, Usha was born into a low-income family in Payyoli village (near Calicut) in the state of Kerala. Usha's upbringing was marred by poverty and sickness, which only served to strengthen her. E.P.M. Paithal and T.V. Lakshmi have a daughter named P.T. Usha. Shobha, Suma, and Pradeep are her sisters and brothers. She and V Srinivasan have been married since 1991. Ujjwal Srinivasan was born in 1992 to the couple, and he is their only son. When she was a teenager, she exhibited a strong interest in sports, which she pursued after earning an Rs. Two hundred fifty scholarships from the Government of Kerala. Following that, Usha traveled to Cannanore, where she enrolled in a sports school (Kannur). The girl with a lot of speed made her professional debut by competing in the National School Games, where she caught the attention of athletic coach O.M. Nambiar due to her impressive performance on the field. The occasion proved to be a watershed moment in her life, as she discovered the proper mentor for her unique abilities. The next year, Usha traveled to Moscow for the 1980 Olympics, when she made history as the first Indian woman to compete in an Olympic Games. In 1982, she went on to win a silver medal in the Asian Games, which were held in New Delhi. Usha hasn't looked back since achieving that goal.

Career

It was in 1976 that the Kerala State Government established a Women's Sports Department in Kannur, and P.T. Usha, then 12 years old, was one of the 40 girls who started initial practice underneath the supervision of O.M. Nambiar, the division's coach, that year. After winning the solo title in the National High School Games in 1979, she became well-known in the athletic community.

P.T. Usha was unquestionably one of the most well-known female athletes in the nation. Throughout her illustrious career, she essentially controlled the field and track competitions for over two decades. The "Payyoli Express" was the moniker given to P.T. Usha. Because of her incredible speed on the track, she was often referred to as the "golden girl".

Through the course of her successful career, Usha received several national and international honors and accolades. Over the course of her professional career, which has spanned over two decades, she has won a total of thirty-three international medals, with thirteen of them coming from gold at the Asian Championships and Asian Games. She came within 1/100th of a second of winning a bronze medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Usha has received about thirty international awards for her achievements in athletics as a result of her earnest efforts and commitment. The Asian Games were held in Seoul, Korea, in 1986, and Usha was the proud recipient of the Adidas Golden Shoe Award, which was given to the best athlete on the team. The International Olympic Committee (IOA) crowned her the 'Sportsperson of the Century,' which was the crowning accomplishment of her career (IndianOlympicAssociation).

Awards & Honors

PT Usha was awarded the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri Award in 1983 and 1985, respectively, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the country's athletics community. Additionally, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) named her the Century's Best Athlete and Millennium's Best Athlete. In addition, she received the World Trophy for Best Athlete in 1985 and 1986 from the International Olympic Committee for her achievements in athletics.

Achievements

• At the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games, he took home silver medals in the 100 m and 200 m events.
• In 1985, he took home five gold medals in the Asian Games in Jakarta.
• In 1984, she became the first Indian woman to qualify for the finals of an Olympic event. Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
• The Asian Track and Field Championships in Kuwait saw her win gold in the 400 meters with a new Asian record, a first for her.