IOA Elections: PT Usha IOA President: After BCCI and AIFF, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) could soon get a former sportsperson leading the federation. Indian sprint queen PT Usha has filed her nomination for the IOA President Post. Elections will be held on December 10. If she wins, she will succeed Narinder Batra as the new IOA President. Follow IOA Elections LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
Usha, a multiple gold medallists in the Asian Games and fourth place finisher in the 1984 Olympics 400m hurdles final, made the announcement through a tweet. “With the warm support of my Fellow Athletes and National Federations I am humbled and honoured to accept and file for the Nomination of the President Of IOA!,” Usha tweeted.
IOA Elections: Sprint Legend PT Usha files NOMINATION for IOA President post, Election on Dec 10, Follow Live Updates
With the warm support of my Fellow Athletes and National Federations I am humbled and honoured to accept and file for the Nomination of the President Of IOA!
— P.T. USHA (@PTUshaOfficial) November 26, 2022
The Athletes’ Commission of IOA recommended 8 sportspersons of outstanding merit including PT Usha. With support from other state units, Usha will now be contesting elections on December 10. She needs to get 39 electoral college votes out of 77 to secure the seat. The deadline to file nomination papers for the IOA elections ends on Sunday.
Born in Kozhikode in Kerala, PT Usha is one of the living legends of Indian Olympic sports. Nicknamed queen of Indian track and field, she won 4 Gold Medals in Asian Games and 7 silver medals.
She is also currently a member of Rajya Sabha after receiving a nomination from President Ramnath Kovind.
IOA Elections: PT Usha Achievements:
- Fondly known as ‘Payyoli Express’, she is one of the most decorated Indian athletes.
- She has won 11 medals, including four gold in the Asian Games from 1982 and 1994.
- She won all four gold in the 1986 Seoul Asan Games (200m, 400m, 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay)
- She also bagged a silver in the 100m.
- Usha also won 100m and 200m medals in the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games.
- Usha also won a phenomenal 23 medals, including 14 gold, in the Asian Championships from 1983 to 1998
- Her medals came in 100m, 200m, 400m hurdles, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay.
- But she is most remembered for missing out on a medal in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics 400m hurdles final.
- She lost to Cristieana Cojocaru of Romania by one-hundredth of a second.
IOA Elections: Sprint Legend PT Usha files NOMINATION for IOA President post, Election on Dec 10, Follow Live Updates
If she is elected, Usha will hold a unique distinction. She will become the first sportsperson to represent India and also become IOA chief. The first to do so was Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, who played a Test match in 1934. Singh was the third IOA president who held office from 1938 to 1960.
IOA elections returning officer Umesh Sinha said in an official statement that there were no nominations filed on Friday and Saturday.
The deadline to file nomination papers for the IOA elections ends on Sunday. According to IOA elections returning officer Umesh Sinha no nomination has been filed for any post so far since the process began on Friday.
IOA Elections: Sprint Legend PT Usha files NOMINATION for IOA President post, Election on Dec 10, Follow Live Updates
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