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Journalism of Courage
KOZHIKODE, JULY 25: Two decades have gone by, but the picture of the dark, lean girl who sat alone, away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded railway compartment, remains afresh in Shiny Wilson’s memories.
“It was my first-ever meeting with Usha,” recalls Shiny of that gruelling train journey from Kerala to Hyderabad, to take part in the National junior meet. “Both of us were members of the Kerala team. A trainee at the Kannur sports division, Usha was by then a known name in the circuit, while I was just a beginner, a seventh standard student at the St George School, Kattappana.
“I still remember Usha as a friendly girl, always wearing a broad grin on her face,” said Shiny, a deputy manager, and sports secretary at the Chennai office of Food Corporation of India.
“She won medals in the under-16 category. But, I was less fortunate. Competing in the under-14 section, I failed to win a medal, even after finishing first in the 600 m heats, due to pain in the leg, and lack of practice,” recalls Shiny, who along with Usha and MD Valsamma, formed the crux of Indian athletics in the eighties. “I had the chance to be closer to Usha at Pune in 1981, where we shared the same room, during a five-nation meet.
“Usha’s retirement will bring to an end a golden era in the history of Indian athletics, an era which I too was fortunate to be a part of,” said Shiny. “Though Usha and I were rivals on the track on many occasions, we were close friends off it, and continue to remain so.
“One of the most disappointing moments of my life, was when Usha failed to win a medal in the 400 m hurdles at the Los Angeles Olympics. All of us were expecting a medal from her, but destiny had other ideas. Her defeat even brought tears to my eyes. "Incidentally, on the previous day, I had become the first Indian woman to enter the Olympics semi-finals.
“She has always been a dedicated athlete, one who would never compromise on hard work. Her comeback, after becoming a mother, has now become part of the Indian sports history,” said Shiny, the finest middle-distance runner India has ever seen. Shiny retired from major events after the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
“Usha is an epitome of commitment and dedication,” said Valsamma, a former Asian champion, whose rivalry with Usha on the track was part of the Indian athletics folklore for a long time. “Look how she reduced her body weight after staying away from the track for quite a long time. When I began my athletic career in the seventies, Usha had already completed three years on the track. She was still there when I left the track in 1987.
“I feel nostalgic, whenever I look back to those days when the three of us Usha, Shiny and me used to rule the tracks. Now it’s all part of history.
“It was a thrill to watch Usha on the tracks at this age. The most interesting part of it is that, she still broke records, competing against athletes half her age, ” added Valsamma, whose track rivalry with Usha dates back to the 1984 Open Nationals in Mumbai.
