Asian Games: Decoding athletics legend PT Usha's notable records
Athletics has been India's strongest suit at the Asian Games over the years. India have dominated various disciplines at the continental level with only China and Japan as their competitors. While the Indians have flourished in athletics at the Asian level, PT Usha made the most of this opportunity and is the most decorated Indian athlete in the history of the Asian Games.
Why does this story matter?
Known as the "Indian queen of track and field', Usha was a sensational athlete during her time. She dominated the field in Asia and also competed at higher levels. Overall, Usha had bagged 11 medals at the Asian Games out of which four were gold and seven of them silver medals. She holds the record of winning four gold medals in the 1986 Asiad.
The arrival of Usha in 1982
The Asian Games was back in India after 30 years as New Delhi hosted the event for the second time (1982). Usha made her debut at the event but was unfazed by the big stage as she had already made her Olympics debut two years ago at the age of 16. She finished with silver medals in the women's 100m and 200m sprint.
The historic 1986 Asiad for the Payyoli Express
Nicknamed the Payyoli Express, Usha was in great form heading into the 1986 Asiad in Seoul. She won multiple golds in all her individual events at the 1985 Asian Athletics Championship. She took that form to Seoul and won a record four gold medals and a silver. Her gold-medal events were 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles, and 4x400m relay. She settled for silver in 100m.
Usha battled injuries to clinch three silver medals in 1990
In these four years, Usha suffered various injuries. She sustained an ankle injury which ruled her out of the final of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. She returned with six medals at the 1989 Asian Athletics Championships (4G, 2S). Usha then decided to retire. However, she returned to action in the 1990 Asian Games, winning three silvers in the 400m, 4x100m relay, and 4x400m relay.
The last hurray in the 1994 Asian Games
Usha was already a well-established athlete when she participated in the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan. Although she was way past her prime, she won a silver medal in the 4x400m relay with GV Dhanalakshmi, Shiny Wilson, and Kutty Saramma. This was the last medal that she won at the Continental Games as she became India's most decorated athlete at Asiad.
Usha had a disappointing 1998 Asian Games
The Payyoli Express also featured in the 1998 Asian Games but failed to bag a medal at the event. Usha finished fourth in the 4x400m relay and sixth in the 200m sprint. Hence, she couldn't add to her illustrious Asian Games tally.
Did you know?
Usha missed the historic bronze medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. It was an intense women's 400m race, and after it got over, she got to know that she was 1/100th of a second behind Romania's Cristiena Cojocaru, who bagged the bronze.
