Payyoli Tevaraparampil Usha was arguably India’s first sports icon. Nicknamed ‘Payyoli Express’ in her home town of Kozhikode, Kerala, this superfast sprinter notched up 23 medals, of which 14 were gold, at various international events in a career spanning 24 years.
Usha was born on June 27, 1964 in Kuttali, Kerala. She was first spotted in 1977 by athletics coach OM Nambiar, at a sports prize-distribution ceremony. He began coaching her and within a year she had won 4 gold medals at the inter-state meet for juniors, as well as silver and a bronze.
At the age of 16, she won 4 gold medals at her first international event – the Pakistan Open National Meet held in 1980 in Karachi. She went on to win several medals at many Asian championships in the following years, including 5 gold medals and 1 bronze medal at the 1985 Jakarta Asian Championships. Between 1983 and 1989, Usha won a total of 13 gold medals at Asian Track and Field (ATF) events.
Usha received the Padma Shri in 1985 and runs the Usha School of Athletics at Koyilandy, near Kozhikode, Kerala.
Picture Credit : Google
