Sprint queen PT Usha is confident India will win at least three gold medals in track and field events
Sprint queen PT Usha is confident India will win at least three gold medals in track and field events PT Usha with her ward Tintu Luka
India's legendary sprint queen PT Usha claims she never makes false promises. And going by her impeccable records and achievements for India in track and field, it's only inevitable that she can't make any incorrect predictions either.
Sure-shot 
The 46-year-old, nicknamed the Payyoli Express in her heyday, told Sunday MiD DAY that the Indian athletics team for the Asian Games here will triple the number of gold medals won at the Doha Asiad in 2006.u00a0
The women's 4X400 women's relay team were the only track and field members to have clinched the yellow metal four years ago. However, Usha predicts as many as three gold medals in Guangzhou.
"Besides the 4x400m women who should win the relay once again, triple jumper Renjith Maheshwari (national record of 17.04m) and 800m runner Tintu Luka (best 1:59:17 seconds) should also win gold medals in Guangzhou.
"I'm not saying the other athletes are not capable of winning gold or will not win gold, I'm just predicting what I feel are definite golds," said Usha.u00a0u00a0
u00a0"Our 4x400m women are No 1 in Asia and so their podium finish is guaranteed. Then, Renjith has jumped 17.07m for bronze at the CWG, which is very good in Asia again, so even he should not have a problem climbing atop the podium.
And finally, Luka is my student at the Usha School of Athletics in Koyilandy, so I can vouch for a gold from her. After all, she is the only Indian after Shiny Wilson to have run the 800m race inside two minutes," added Usha,
India's most successful international sprinter, who has won four gold medals,u00a0 among other feats at the Seoul Asian Games in 1986, where she also won the Golden Shoe award for best athlete.
The five-time Best Athlete in Asia award-winner, however, is not very happy given the dearth of sprinting talent in the country, and is now on a mission to find someone to fill the world-class boots she hung up over a decade and a half ago.
Great talent
"It's not that there is no talent in India. There definitely is good sprinting talent in the country, but we have to go out there to the remotest corners of India and find them. I'm not sure how many people are willing to do that. I'm willing to and I am working towards that. However, currently my task at hand is to work on the two, three good middle-distance runners I have," she said.
"At the same time people should also realise that sprinting is an inate talent and not everyone can be an Usain Bolt. The problem with India is that people expect instant results.
"Now, it may be a fast race, but to win it you have to plan slowly and across a long period of time," she signed off.
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