We have the talent, only need better infrastructure: P T Usha

Former sprint queen P T Usha today remained positive about the outlook for sports in the country, saying that she was confident of Indian sportspersons wil win a lot more gold medals in the future.
India does not lack talent, only this talent needs to be groomed properly. Better infrastructure and good training should be provided to them, she said while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the two-day India International Sports Summit which began today.

Usha also 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 averred. She also 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 added.

''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.

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.

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.