New Delhi: The Queen of Indian tracks or golden girl, as she is often called - PT Usha has come a long way. The now-retired Indian track and field athlete has won several national and international accolades for the country, making everyone proud of her back home. On her recent collaboration with a fast-food chain, the legendary athlete in an exclusive interview with Zee News Digital talked about her journey, favourite food and inspiring names from sports: 


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Q. What’s your fitness routine these days?


A. It’s important to follow and maintain a balanced lifestyle. A routine for athletes specifically demands hard work and there is certainly no alternative to hard work. I follow a disciplined routine in my daily life too. However, fitness is not restricted to physical health alone, but mental health is just as important. I strive to take each day as it comes and work towards building a healthy body and mind.




Q. How did you become the ‘golden girl’? Please share insights.


A. I have been associated with sports since 1976 and my passion for the same helped me secure my first Rs 250 scholarship from the Kerala state government. My coach OM Nambiar played a major role in crafting my career as an athlete. He invested his faith in me more than anybody else, including myself. Under his guidance, I learnt to harness the speed and imbibe it as a personal trait. I managed to incorporate the very lesson of speed in my experience as an athlete. When I first started out on my journey, neither I nor my family was aware of what was in store for me. I was dealing with health and financial issues at the same time. However, I chose to stay determined and resilient in my approach when dealing with obstacles and managed to win international accolades when I was merely 22 years old.



Q. What made you say yes to becoming the star face of KFC’s Campaign?


A. I have fond memories of KFC. While I always enjoyed eating KFC, whenever I would go outside the country as well, I would visit a KFC for that golden & crispy fried chicken. When I heard about the Express Pick-up service, I knew it would be a dream come true for chicken-lovers like myself who hated waiting to get their hands on the KFC Bucket of chicken. And for a service that promises takeaway orders in 7-minutes, I had to be a part of it given my love for speed. It is a great service by KFC and like all chicken-lovers out there, I am excited too, more so to be a part of the campaign.



Quick Answers:


Your Favorite Food: Being from Kerala, I love Fish Chili, that is one dish that I love to eat as well as cook. I also thoroughly enjoy KFC’s Hot & Crispy chicken.


Your favourite Sport: No matter what, track and field will always be my favourite place to be in


Movies or Web Series: I love to watch films in my free time. 


Most Inspiring athlete: Neeraj Chopra certainly has boosted the morale of our national-level athletes and I am certainly looking forward to what he has in store for us next. 


M Sreeshankar can also be a big surprise, considering his age, we must acknowledge him for the big jumps he is responsible for.