International Athletics

Usha made her debut into the International Athletics when she participated in the Pakistan Open National Meet 1980 held at Karachi. She grabbed 4 Gold Medals at the Athletics Meet. In the year 1982, she took part in the World Junior Invitation Meet (which is now called World Junior Athletic Championship) held at Seoul. Usha managed to clinch Gold Medal in the 200m and Bronze Medal in the 100m race at the event. Afterwards, she started working intensely upon her performance and by the Los Angeles Olympics 1984 she had improved considerably. At the Los Angeles Olympics, Usha won the 400m Hurdles heats but unfortunately lost the Bronze Medal in 400m Hurdles Final Round by a very minute margin of 1 100 second in a Photo Finish. Anyhow, her achievement was still historical in Indian context as she became the first Indian Woman Athlete ever to have entered the Final Round at Olympic Games. She clocked the race in 55.42 seconds which still stands as a National Record for the event in India.

Further, in the year 1985 she participated at the Asian Track and Field Championship held at Jakarta, Indonesia and grabbed 5 Gold Medals and 1 Bronze Medal at the championship. At Seoul Asian Games 1986, Usha clinched four Gold Medals in the 200m, 400m, 400m Hurdles and 4x400m Relay races. Unfortunately, she got her heel injured before the Seoul Olympic Games 1988 and still ran for the nation in the same condition, although couldnt fare well at the event.Usha bounced back in the year 1989 at Asian Track Federation Meet held at Delhi, and clinched four Gold Medals and two Silver Medals at the meet. At this time, Usha wanted to declare her retirement but as a last innings she participated at Beijing Asian Games 1990 and despite not being fully prepared for the event, she grabbed three Silver Medals at the event.