P T Usha The Payyoli Express

Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha, popularly known as P T Usha was born in 1964 may 20 in Payyoli, Kozhikode district, Kerala. She is an Indian track and field athlete and has been associated with Indian athletics since 1979. She is one of the greatest athlete of India and called “queen of Indian track and field” and nicknamed as Payyoli Express. In 1976 the Kerala state Government started a sports school for women and Usha was chosen to represent Kozhikode district.

In 1979 Usha participated in the National School Games, Where she was noticed by O M Nambiar, who coached her throughout her career.  Usha’s debut was at Moscow Olympics in 1980. In 1982 New Delhi Asiad, she got the silver medal in the 100m and the 200m, but at the Asian Track and Field Championship in Kuwait a year later, Usha took the gold in the 400m with a new Asian record.

From 1983-89, Usha got 13 gold at ATF meets. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, she finished first in the semi finals of the 400m hurdles, but narrowly missed a medal in the final. Usha lost the bronze by 1/100^th of a second. In the 10^th Asian Games held at Seoul in 1986, P T Usha won 4 gold medals and 1 silver medal in the track and field events. She also won 5 gold medals at the 6^th Asian Track and Field championship in Jakarta in 1985. Her medals at the same meet is a record for a single athlete in a single international meet.

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 and the Arjuna Award. Currently she runs the Usha School of Athletics at Kozhikode in Kerala and she coaches young athletes at her training academy, including Tintu Lukka, who was qualified for the women's semi-final 800m at the London 2012 Olympics.