Kinalore, Kerala:
PT Usha wants revenge, and it could be a sweet one, not just for the sprint queen but for India as well.
Her students are training longer and harder to bring home new medals for India.
Last month, Usha and her students were humiliated at the National Championships in Bhopal when they were not given accommodation for the event. A visit to Usha' school of athletics in Kerala shows the students have left that sort of controversy behind.
Tintu Luka won her event at the National Championship in Bhopal. She covered 800 meters in 2 minutes and 3 seconds. But PT Usha's coaching her to shave off a second in the hope that it will give her the gold at the Asian Track and Field in China this weekend. Tintu says she's happy to try that. ``She gives me a target every year and I HAVE to meet it, Now I have a new target already to keep to shorter time."
But what Usha and her students really want is a gold for India at the 2012 Olympics. ``When we say our aim is Olympic medal, people laugh. I don't understand what is funny. At least I showed that without any help, facilities I could near a medal. First of all people should believe that we have talent," says a visibly upset Usha.
The school lacks a well-equipped gym and a synthetic track. Usha says the Olympic gold is more likely that the government helping her with better facilities. ``Performance wise we are at the top. But infrastructure wise we are still in LKG only."
Usha missed winning the bronze by 1/100th of a second almost 25 years ago. Since then she has been dreaming that another Indian woman will pick up where she left off.