PT Usha promises ‘big things’ from her wards soon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The golden girl of Indian athletics, PT Usha, turns 56 today. A medal in Olympics may have eluded her by a whisker on that eventful day at Los Angeles in 1984 but her effort to realize one through her wards continues unabated 36 years after that narrow miss.
The Usha School of Athletics, Kinalloor on the outskirts of Kozhikode that was established in 2002 doubles up as a national camp for the likes of 2016 Rio Olympian Jisna Mathew, Jessy Joseph, and Abitha Mary Manuel.
Even in the new normal, the Payyoli Express chugs along as she does on any normal day.
“We're lucky that our school was away from the maddening crowd and public glare. The 20-odd trainees followed the same routine. They did exercises to build core strength and did cycling and treadmill to maintain fitness. We never allowed lockdown to bother them and took care to maintain them mentally fresh," Usha told TOI on how she kept her wards fit and fresh during the last two months.
“I and Sreenichettan (husband) share our work whether it is driving or doing household chores in the absence of the maids during the lockdown,” added Usha
Jessy, now the senior-most in the athletics school after Tintu Lukka left the field, clinched a silver medal in women’s 800m at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championship in Lucknow in 2019 on her return from injury.
Her wish on her birthday was to see her athletes fulfill their potential this season. Usha predicts great things for Jisna. “She should become No.1 in women’s 400m not just in the country but also in the continent while Jessy and Abitha should make heads turn in women’s 800m.
“Even Tintu matured and proved her mettle after she crossed 20. Once Tintu gained exposure, she surged ahead and never gave her rivals any chance. I think Jisna is now reaching that level. That is why I can say confidently that Jisna will be the next big thing in women’s 400m.”
Usha hoped that Jessy, who was laid off by an Achilles tendon for more than three years, will make an impact in the women's 800m. “Anyone else would have left the track but not Jessy. She was both determined and focused even during her injury lay-off and she showed her potential by bagging a silver at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championship in Lucknow in 2019. So I have no worries about Jessy. She will be a worthy successor to Tintu,” said Usha on Jessy.
Abitha, who is in college now and a junior and national school champion, is touted as a bright prospect. “Abitha will be No.2 in 800m,” she insisted.
Athulya Udayan, Sooryamol T, Elga Thomas, Prathibha Varghese, Sharika Sunilkumar, and Mayukha Vinod are other trainees who are ready to explode from her stable.
With veteran Bahadur Singh being sidelined from the role of national athletics chief coach, there is a vacancy at the helm. But Usha made it clear that she is not one who is aspiring for that role and is quite content in getting the best out of her wards now.