Nagoya, October 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha has said that comparing athletes of her generation with those competing today would be inappropriate, pointing to the significant differences in training facilities, government support and sporting infrastructure.
Reflecting on her illustrious athletics career on the sidelines of the ongoing Asian Games in Nagoya, the former sprinter and hurdler said her achievements were the result of determination, passion and hard work at a time when Indian athletes had access to very limited facilities.
“I actually cannot compare at all. See my winning performance and record, all those things with my passion and hard work,” Usha told IANS.
Popularly known as the ‘Payyoli Express’, Usha represented India at three Olympic Games — Moscow in 1980, Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988. She created history at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics by becoming the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic athletics final. She narrowly missed a medal in the 400-metre hurdles, finishing fourth.
Usha said the significance of her achievements extended beyond the records she established, particularly in terms of inspiring younger generations of athletes.
She recalled the challenges she faced during her competitive career, highlighting the lack of basic training infrastructure and facilities available to Indian athletes at the time.
“There were no facilities at all. Even for running 10 hurdles, the third hurdle, the third time I did it in Los Angeles. That is, the record stayed. In the sense that now there are so many facilities the government is supporting,” she said.
The IOA president welcomed the increased government involvement and improved support for Indian sports, expressing optimism that the current generation would benefit from the growing investment in athletics and other disciplines.
“It’s good that the government and everyone are together for sports people, and in the coming future, I think that will do well; players will do well, hopefully,” she said.
However, Usha emphasised that the circumstances of her competitive years were fundamentally different from those of today’s athletes.
“But you cannot compare my days and now. That is totally different. That is with full hard work and passion I did,” she added.
Usha’s achievements remain an important part of India’s sporting history. She won India’s first athletics medal at the 1982 Asian Games before delivering a remarkable performance at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, where she secured four gold medals.
Following her retirement from competitive athletics, Usha continued contributing to Indian sport through administration and athlete development. She established the Usha School of Athletics in Kozhikode, Kerala, to nurture young track-and-field talent.
In December 2022, she was elected unopposed as the president of the IOA, becoming the first woman to head India’s apex Olympic organisation.
Usha also expressed happiness over India’s performance at the ongoing Asian Games, celebrating the country’s four gold medals won on Friday, including three in boxing and one in wrestling.
“So happy to hear Jana Gana Mana. A lot of flags have gone up for silver and bronze, but today we have won four gold medals, with three in boxing, and one is in the wrestling area, Jana Gana Mana. It’s so great, and it’s a good day for us,” she said.
She also welcomed India’s progress in the overall medal standings, noting that the country had climbed from 15th to fifth position.
“Yeah, in the medal tally list, we came from 15th to fifth. Hope that we will overtake Uzbekistan by tomorrow,” Usha added.
FOLLOW NOW
