P.T, Usha has done it again! By winning ‘four gold medals in the eighth Asian Track and Field (ATF) meet at New Delhi, U-ha has made her critics eat their words who had written her off after Seoul Olympics. To top it, Usha’s gold-winning performances in 200 m, 400 m, and 400 m hurdles also created new records.
Her performance won her the title of ‘Best woman athlete of Asia’ yet again. In the 400 m she recorded 51.9 sec which was her second best timing ever in the event. Usha’s 23.27 sec run in 200 m was her best ever after her timing of 23.44 sec at Seoul Asian Games. In the 400 m hurdles, she recorded 56.14 sec which was her fifth best timing ever. These timings indicate that Usha is again back on the golden trail with a bang.
Usha’s story of phenomenal success is the story of a weak country girl, who through constant perservance rose to become one of Asia’s greatest sprinter, quarter miler and intermediate hurdler. The ATF meets have always seen Usha at her best. In the last three meets she had won nine gold’s, three silvers and one bronze for the country.
Usha started her career as a sprinter, but her coach, Nambiar, soon realized that she lacked the explosive speed desired to make a mark in the field of world class sprinters. This realization dawned upon them part after the 1982 Asian Games, where Usha only win only silver medals in the 100 mind 200 m
‘So, Usha made a switch over to the 400m in 1983 which was also the year of the fifth ‘meet at Kuwait. Intensive training under the watchful eyes of the coach brought her the m gold at Kuwait which was to set her on golden trail. She also won a silver in the 200 m. Confidence and due recognition came to at last. Before that, she was considered 1o be talented athlete who failed in the Asian a deeply religious person, Usha presented gold medal at Sree Guruvayoor temple home.
The Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 were immediate concern for Usha after the Kuwait meet. After taking to 400 m just a few months back, coach Nambiar worked out another seemingly ambitious plan to run Usha in the 400 m hurdles at Los Angeles Olympics which were only six months away! Usha had not done any training at hurdles since her school days. Yet, the logic behind the plan was simple. The event was being included in the Olympics for the first time. So the level of competition in the event being a little lower as compared to the other events, Usha stood greater chance of winning a medal.
It was a herculean task. But Usha accepted the challenge. Reminisces Usha, “Mentally those days were very upsetting. It is a coincidence that I became a hurdler.
At least I can’t explain how I have come so ‘far in this event.” Surely it was difficult to explain her staggering performance of 55,7 sec in the pre-Olympic trials, against M.D. Valsamma, the Asian gold medalist in the 400 m hurdles, after just a couple of months of training. Everyone was thrilled at Usha’s world class performance and expectations of an Olympic medal soared high
What happened at Los Angeles is now history, Usha missed the bronze by one hundredth of a second but nothing can be compared to the indomitable spirit of the athlete who after taking it to the event just six months back had challenged the might of established world class hurdles. Though she lost the race she won the hearts of millions. She was treated like a goddess in her country as she had at least made the world sit and notice the long-striding, shy, world beater from India.
It didn’t take Usha long to come out of the shattering experience at Los Angeles. Came Jakarta ATF meet in 1985 and she was back to her winning ways. And her performance in the meet is now a golden ‘chapter in the history of Asian athletics. She conquered Asia with an unprecedented haul of five gold medals in 100 m, 200 m, 400 m hurdles and 4X 100 m relay. It was a staggering performance at any level of competition and a tribute to the fitness and endurance of the athlete who ran 12 races in the five day meet!
The following year, 1986, was the year of Asian Games at Seoul. Usha once again was the saving grace for India by winning ‘four gold medals to the lone gold won by Kanar Singh in wrestling. Usha’s gold ‘medal winning spree continued at Singapore ATF meet in 1987, where she won three gold’s and two silver.
By now Usha had become a household name in India. She got fame and fortune, both. But the time was soon 10 come when she realized how transitory public appreciation and sympathy can be. This happened after her disastrous excursion in Seoul Olympics. Though she was suffering ‘from a heel injury, she still went to Seoul, and lost in the preliminary stage itself. Her bad performance invoked a widespread public outcry. She was alleged to have been faking the injury and shying away from the top level competition. The heroine had become an outcaste overnight.
Now by her performance at New Delhi, she has silenced her critics once and for all. 1t was certainly the most heartening performance for sports lovers in the country. Expectations have arisen again. Common wealth Games at Auckland and Beijing Asian Games in 1990 are waiting for Usha to scale still newer heights of excellence. She may win a medal at Commonwealth, but can she realize her dream of winning an Olympic medal at the Barcelona Olympics? Only time will tell.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 19, 1990
