Published By: Nibandh Vinod
Last Updated: June 27, 2023, 07:13 IST
Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum], India
In 2022, PT Usha emerged as the first woman to become the president of the Indian Olympic Association. (Image: AFP file)
Happy Birthday PT Usha: During her era from the late 80s to the early 90s, PT Usha was amongst the fastest women in the world
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PT USHA: Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha, popularly known as PT Usha, celebrates her 59th birthday today. Regarded as one of India’s greatest-ever athletes, PT Usha is known by the nickname of the queen of track and field. During her era from the late 80s to the early 90s, PT Usha was amongst the fastest women in the world. She also held several world records and is the recipient of numerous awards and honours. Let us take a look at some of her achievements and what she is doing now in her life.
1980 TO 1990
PT Usha participated in the Moscow Olympics in 1980. In the same year, she went on to secure four gold medals in the Karachi International invitation meet. In 1985, PT Usha was adjudged the Best Railway Athlete. She became the first-ever Indian athlete to achieve this feat in the history of Indian Railways. She also went on to win five gold medals and one bronze medal at the Asian Championships at Jakarta in 1985.
In the very next year, she earned four gold medals and one bronze at the Asian Games in Seoul. PT Usha won four gold medals and five silvers at the 1989 Asian Championships and 1990 Asian Games.
At the 1990 Beijing Asian Games, she secured three silver medals. PT Usha announced her retirement in 1990 but later made a comeback to the professional sport.
1990 TO 1999
She won a silver medal in the Asian Games in the year 1994 and a bronze medal in the International Permit Meet at Pune in the same year. In 1995, PT Usha won another bronze medal in SAF Games at Chennai and one more bronze in the International Permit Meet at Pune.
In the following year, PT Usha participated in the Atlanta Olympic Games. She won one gold medal, one silver medal and two bronze medals at the Asian Track and Field Meet at Fukokkova.
In 1999, PT Usha took home one more gold and two silver medals in the SAF Games at Kathmandu and another gold in the Raja Balindra Singh International Athletic Meet at New Delhi.
Apart from these achievements, PT Usha has also been honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1984. A year later, she was conferred with the Padma Shri award.
In 2022, she emerged as the first woman to become the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). She was also the first Olympian to assume the post.
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