Quotes from P. T. Usha

There is no dearth of talent in India, but there is no encouragement and facilities to train.

Records are meant to be broken and they should be broken, but fairly.

Rather than missing the medal, the overall message from across the Indian contingent was my effort proved that we can win an Olympic medal.

International Amateur Atheletic Federation had selected me in 1985 and 1986 as one of the best eight athletes in the world.

Money cannot buy the self-actualization of one's feelings.

In the '80s, there was this talk about a thrower whose urine was sent for testing after a meet and it tested positive for pregnancy! Apparently, his urine was replaced with that of a female nurse at the clinic. I don't know if the story was true, but in those primitive days of dope testing India, you could not have laughed it off.

At the 1985 Asian Track and Field meet in Jakarta, where I won five golds and a bronze, I was taken for testing after every race, which reduced my recovery time considerably; otherwise I could have performed even better.

My parents provided me the best they could, if not more. I was even provided goat milk by my parents.

In international meets, like the Olympics and Asian Games, drug tests are mandatory. When everything is in place, then only will the records be ratified. I am not saying that people are taking drugs. Everybody knows what things are going on on the field. I know; everybody knows what's going on.

When you compete with better athletes, you also get better.

'Khelo' Games is certainly a good idea. I am happy to see that the government is trying to do something to improve sports at the grass-roots level and that lots of money is being spent on it.

All what I aimed for, except the Olympic medal, I achieved. That's why I want to start the Usha School of Athletics. I missed an Olympic medal, now I want to ensure that one of my students wins one!

During my stay in Pakistan, those people who love sports extended their happiness and good wishes to our Indian side.

The only realistic offer came from Nebraska University who offered me a scholarship to be a physical education director. What will a 24-year-old do with that? Retire and study?

U.S. and Russia - both coach their athletes from the grassroots level on and provide scientific training.

I have knocked at almost every door, from government offices to private companies, pleading for money and facilities to start my athletics school. It has been a tough mission. But I am thrilled that it is now a reality.

Udaya Laxmi is not the only athlete who has been asked by the administrators to go after my records; they now want to take away the only record I hold, in the 400m hurdles that I set at the final of the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984.

After a hard training day, I used to massage myself. That meant recovery was slow.

My stride is perfect for 15 steps till I cross the seventh hurdle when I switch to 17 steps.

I believe it's an honor for me wherever I go in and around the country people still identify me and love me so much.

If you win even one tournament or medal, people can think they have become big.

After my first track event, sports became my life.

It is great to see our young athletes get an opportunity to run on excellent tracks at the Medical College Stadium. And I am happy to see spectators coming in large numbers to cheer our young champions. That is something you would not see in many parts of Kerala.

It got injured in 1995 and was operated upon once.