Hurdles Race

Payyoli Express

P.T. Usha is popularly known as the 'Payyoli Express' because she was born in Payyoli, a place in Kozhikode district of Kerala. This nickname reflects both her place of origin (Payyoli) and her incredible speed in track events (Express). The other options like Kerala Express, Indian Express, or Golden Express are not the correct nicknames associated with this legendary Indian athlete.

Gets disqualified

According to hurdle race rules, any runner who does not jump over the hurdles will be disqualified from the race. This is a fundamental rule that ensures fair competition and maintains the integrity of the hurdle race. Simply getting a warning, receiving a time penalty, or being allowed to continue would not be appropriate consequences as not jumping over hurdles defeats the entire purpose of the hurdle race event.

1984

P.T. Usha nearly missed the bronze medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in the 400m hurdles event. She lost the bronze medal by just 1/100th of a second in a photo finish, making it one of the most heartbreaking near-misses in Indian Olympic history. This happened specifically in 1984, not in 1980 (Moscow Olympics where she participated), 1988, or 1992. This moment is considered one of the closest an Indian has come to winning an Olympic medal in track and field.

9.14 meters

In men's 110-meter hurdle races, the distance between consecutive hurdles is exactly 9.14 meters. This spacing is standardized for all 110m hurdle events. The 8.50m distance is used in women's 100m hurdles, 10m is not a standard hurdle spacing, and 35m is the distance between hurdles in 400m hurdle races. The 9.14m spacing provides the optimal rhythm and stride pattern for male hurdlers in the 110m event.