After Rio Olympics failure, Tintu Luka's uncle blames coach PT Usha for below-par training

New Delhi: After Tintu Luka's disappointing performance at Rio Olympics, the athlete's uncle and local guardian reportedly blamed coach PT Usha for giving below-par training at the latter's institution.

According to reports, Tintu's uncle Joyichan last Sunday accused former sprint queen and current coach Usha of running a business centre in the guise of a training institution.

Joyichan also alleged that the training school did not have facilities on par with international standards.

Besides, Tintu's uncle questioned if Usha has deliberately denied the opportunities to the 27-year-old fearing of losing her own athletics glory.

At Rio Games, the 2014 Asian Games silver medallist could only finish sixth in the women's 800 metre event in her heat, and was subsequently ranked 29 in the overall standing with a timing of 2:00:58.

Often regarded as India's greatest ever track & field athlete, Usha came close to winning bronze medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She missed out on the medal in women's 400 metre hurdles in a photo-finish, which reminded many of Milkha Singh's 1960 Olympics heartbreak.

The legend now runs Usha School of Athletics, a sports training institute in Kerala with a stated mission to "identify and nurture talent, and groom it to be at par with international athletes".