Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) In 1984, P.T. Usha missed an Olympic medal by just one-hundredth of a second.
Forty-two years later, the legendary athlete faces another crucial test, this time in her bid to retain the presidency of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
And if Usha misses out again, could another Kerala athlete, Anju Bobby George, emerge as a contender for the coveted post?
The latest IOA electoral college results have put Usha's presidential ambitions in difficulty, while giving Anju a place in the electoral process.
The interesting possibility is that Kerala could continue to have a stake in the country's top Olympic administration post, irrespective of what happens to Usha.
Usha, 62, the incumbent IOA president and a nominated Rajya Sabha member, finished fifth in Monday's election to the women's Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) category.
She secured 40 votes, while only four candidates were to be elected.
Anju topped the poll with 53 votes out of the 80 cast.
Former hockey captain Rani Rampal secured 50, archer Dola Banerjee 45 and badminton star Saina Nehwal 43.
Usha's failure to enter the electoral college has complicated her bid for another term.
She can still enter through a nomination by one of the National Sports Federations, which are yet to name their representatives.
Anju, meanwhile, is now eligible to contest the December 5 IOA elections.
A former world athletics championship bronze medallist, she is also an experienced sports administrator and has served as senior vice-president of the Athletics Federation of India.
The two women come from different generations of Kerala athletics. Usha, from Payyoli in Kozhikode district, became the first woman to head the IOA in 2022.
Anju, from Changanassery in Kottayam district, created history with her long jump bronze at the 2003 World Athletics Championships.
At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Usha had finished fourth in the 400-metre hurdles final, missing bronze by just 0.01 seconds in a photo finish.
Now, another defining moment awaits her in Olympic administration.
Whether Usha finds a way back into the presidential contest or Anju emerges as a possible alternative, Kerala's presence in the IOA leadership race remains a talking point.
Source: IANS
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