Usha honoured with IAAF Veteran Pin

Indian track and field legend P T Usha was on Wednesday presented the Veteran Pin by the world athletics governing body, in recognition of her contribution to the growth of sport.

IAAF chief Sebastian Coe presented her the Veteran Pin during the 52nd IAAF Congress here.

She was one of three persons from Asia to receive the honour.

"Expressing my deep gratitude towards @iaaforg and President @sebcoe for awarding me the Veteran Pin at the 52nd IAAF conference in Doha. I look forward to continually contributing to the growth of athletics in our country!," tweeted the 55-year-old who is known as 'Payyoli Express'.

Usha is one of the greatest sprinters to have come out of India, often called the "queen of track and field".

She won five gold medals -- 100m, 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay -- besides a bronze at the 1985 Asian Games in Jakarta.

Her most memorable performance came in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where she became the first Indian to reach the finals of the 400m hurdles, but lost the bronze by one-hundredth of a second.