It’s almost 40 years since PT Usha, a shy girl from Kerala, stormed the field at the Los Angeles Olympics. To say that she was the cynosure of all eyes was wrong, since The Payyoli Express, as she was known fondly, was not supposed to be blazing the 400m hurdles event. Yet, when she lost the bronze medal by one hundredth of a second, a nation was saddened.
To recall what happened four decades ago is not just about nostalgia. For Usha, a girl better known for her strides, rhythm and speed in the shorter sprints, the 400m hurdles was her least-favourite event. Though she missed that bronze medal by 1/100th of a second, the images one saw at that time on television, courtesy Doordarshan, made the knowledgeable happy, for an Indian athlete had breached a big barrier. Unlike today, where every nanosecond of sporting action is dissected and analysed, what happened in Los Angeles, on August 8, 1984, stays etched for posterity.
“For me, it is a bittersweet memory, since I nearly won the bronze,” Usha told this writer last week in New Delhi, at her expansive office in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The good thing is that Usha does not brood over that missed chance. She is instead grateful for having won 103 international medals in her career. One story which Usha does not share too often is how once when she won a medal, she decided that it was due to divine blessings. Sure enough, Usha decided that one medal had to be offered to Lord Krishna at the Guruvayur temple in Kerala.
Each athlete believes in positive energy, and for Usha, her faith in Lord Krishna and her coach, OM Nambiar, are well-chronicled. “Nambiar Saar” was like a father figure. And without all these modern-day coaching diplomas, he could still guide his ward to amazing wins in Asia.
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The transformation to Usha the coach, mentoring athletes at her academy in Kerala – the Usha School of Athletics – is something close to her heart. She is no longer hands on there, but stays a mentor. She has nurtured athletes like Tintu Luka and feels bad that someone like Jisna Matthew, from her stable, did not make the cut for Paris 2024.
Today, with just 10 days to go for the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, Usha is the face of Indian Olympic sports in many ways. She is not there just to see what will transpire in track and field, she will be keeping an eye on every Indian athlete who will compete in Paris. Having been part of four Olympic campaigns herself, she knows what it takes to optimise performance and peak on the big stage.
Usha is hands on, and she has to deal with several National Sports Federations, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Sports Ministry. The current job as President of the IOA is not like sprinting on the track during her heyday. Her current role has more to do with hurdling, as being an Indian sports administrator is not easy. This is a thankless job, and at the end of each day, she handles so many complaints and requests. To be sure, the Indian sporting system today is robust, and from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, each one is keeping an eye on Olympic preparations. Usha is an interface of sorts.
When India did well at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last year, Usha was all smiles. To win 107 medals was massive, and Usha is confident that Indian athletes will do well in Paris. “As the IOA President, I am keeping a watch and trying to provide the best facilities for all Indian athletes,” she told RevSportz. “Each athlete is special to me and from coach to physio, an excellent medical team is in place which will take care of Team India. We have planned well.”
The IOA President will not hazard a guess on how many medals India will win in Paris. As someone who lost a medal at Los Angeles by the smallest of margins, she knows anything can happen. But millions will pray for the success of Indian athletes, Usha included.