Former sprint queen P. T. Usha has visualised her prodigy Tintu Luka as a medal prospect in the
Delhi Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China later this year.
“One of my students, Tintu Luka, has done well. She was the number one junior Asian athlete and was ranked ninth junior athlete in the world in 800m. Besides, she also won a silver medal at the Asian Junior Athletic Championship in Jakarta,” the 45-year-old Usha said.
“We are confident that she (Luka) will win a medal not just in the Commonwealth Games but also in the Asian Games,” she said.
“We can expect medals in shooting, weightlifting (at the Games). Hopefully we can win some medals in athletics too,” the Indian track legend told reporters on the sidelines of the two-day India International Sports Summit which began today.
Usha said the Commonwealth Games in October will be helpful in the development of sporting infrastructure in the country.
“Because of Commonwealth Games sports infrastructure will develop in the country. However, the situation is improving now. When I started there was only one synthetic track in Patiala but now the number is increasing,” she said.
Usha, who narrowly missed a bronze medal in the 400m hurdles at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, felt that with better infrastructure and training the country's sportspersons would be more successful at the Olympics. “There is a lot of talent in India. But that needs to be groomed. Better infrastructure and good training should be provided to them. I know we will win a lot of Olympic gold medals in the future,” said the former Asian sprint champion.
Usha did not think that a Kochi-based IPL squad that had been bought at the new bidding process for over Rs. 1500 crore would kill athletics in her home state.
“Nothing will happen to athletes in Kerala due to IPL,” she said.
Usha, who runs a school for athletes, said she had started the institution to fulfil her dream of winning a
Olympic medal.
“I missed an Olympic medal by a whisker. But I want to produce students who can win them,” she said.
While appreciating the help from the state government in providing land and a nominal sum, Usha said much more needed to be done to improve infrastructure in her home state.
“The Kerala government has provided me 30 acres of land and Rs 20 lakhs. But that money is hardly enough. We built a mud track with that money, but we need more synthetic tracks. We need at least four of them,” she said.
“I have also received help from (cue ace) Geet Sethi's organisation (Olympic Gold Quest). They have provided us with a high-tech gymnasium. But we don't have a building to keep it in,” she explained.
“Result-wise, we (Kerala) may be the number one in the country but infrastructure-wise we are still lacking,” Usha rued.
