M. D. Valsamma
Encyclopedia
Manathoor Devasia Valsamma (Malayalam: മനതൂര് ദേവസ്യ വത്സമ്മ; born 29 October 1960), was an Indian athlete. She was the third Indian woman to win an individual Gold medal at the Asian Games
and the first to win it on Indian soil
.
of Kerala
. Nicknamed "Valsu", she started her athletics career during school days though she only took it more seriously when she moved to Mercy College, Palakkad
, for further studies. Her first medal was for Kerala
in the 100 metres hurdles in the Inter-University Championship in 1979.
She got a job with Southern Railway
and was coached by A. K. Kutty. She created a great impression at the Inter-State Meet at Bangalore
in 1981 by winning five Gold Medals, the hurdles over 100 and 400 metres in addition to the 400 metres
flat and the 400 m
and 100 m
relays. That performance catapulted her into the Railway and national teams and in 1982 she became the national champion over 400-metre hurdles with a new record, which was also better than the Asian record.
in front of a home crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
in the 1982 Asian Games
. This made her the third woman athlete to win an Asian Games gold for India ,after Kamaljit Sandhu (400 metres-1974
) and Geeta Zutshi
(800 metres
-1978
). She later figured in a silver medal winning 4 X 400 metres relay team. She won the Arjuna Award
in 1982 and the Padma Shri
in 1983 and the G. V. Raja cash award from Kerala
Government.
After being eliminated early in the 400 m hurdles in the Los Angeles Olympics, Valsamma began concentrating more on 100 m hurdles. She won a gold in the 100 m hurdles and a silver in 400 m hurdles in the first National Games in 1985. She won a silver in the quarter-mile in the Malaysian Open and gold and silver in 4 x 400 metres 4 x 100 metres relay in the Asian Track & Field Meet in Delhi.
Valsamma also appeared in the Spartakiad 1983 in Moscow
, the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in Islamabad fetched her bronze in the 100 metres, a Silver in the quarter-mile and the Gold m the 4 x 400 metres relay. In the Beijing Asian Games
, where she won silver medals in the 4 x 100 and the 4 x 400 metres relay races.
In a career spanning nearly 15 years, M.D. Valsamma took part in World Cup
meets in Havana
, Tokyo
, London
, the Asian Games editions of 1982, 86, 90 and 94 and in all the Asian Track & Field meets and SAF Games, leaving her mark in each and every competition.
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
and the first to win it on Indian soil
1982 Asian Games
The 9th Asian Games were held from November 19, 1982 to December 4, 1982 in Delhi, India.An incredible 74 Asian and Asian Games records were broken. This was also the first Asiad to be held under the aegis of the Olympic Council of Asia.-Sports:...
.
Early life
Valsamma was born at Ottathai in Kannur districtKannur district
Kannur District is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala, India. The town of Kannur is the district headquarters, and gives the district its name. The old name Cannanore is the anglicised form of the Malayalam name Kannur. Kannur District is bounded by Kasaragod District to the north and...
of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. Nicknamed "Valsu", she started her athletics career during school days though she only took it more seriously when she moved to Mercy College, Palakkad
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
, for further studies. Her first medal was for Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
in the 100 metres hurdles in the Inter-University Championship in 1979.
She got a job with Southern Railway
Southern Railway (India)
The Southern Railway is the earliest of the 16 zones of the Indian Railways created in independent India. It was created on April 14, 1951 by merging three state railways namely Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway, the South Indian Railway, and the Mysore State Railway. The South Indian Railway...
and was coached by A. K. Kutty. She created a great impression at the Inter-State Meet at Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
in 1981 by winning five Gold Medals, the hurdles over 100 and 400 metres in addition to the 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
flat and the 400 m
4 x 400 metres relay
The 4 x 400 meters relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams comprise four runners who each complete 400 meters or one lap. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. At top class events, the first 500 meters is run in lanes...
and 100 m
4 x 100 metres relay
The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race...
relays. That performance catapulted her into the Railway and national teams and in 1982 she became the national champion over 400-metre hurdles with a new record, which was also better than the Asian record.
Professional Athletics Career
Valsamma won the Gold medal in the 400 m hurdles in an Indian and Asian record time of 58.47 secondsin front of a home crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi, India, is a multipurpose sports arena hosting football and other sporting events, as well as large-scale entertainment events. It is named after the first Prime Minister of India. The all-seater facility seats 60,000 spectators, and up to 100,000 for concerts...
in the 1982 Asian Games
1982 Asian Games
The 9th Asian Games were held from November 19, 1982 to December 4, 1982 in Delhi, India.An incredible 74 Asian and Asian Games records were broken. This was also the first Asiad to be held under the aegis of the Olympic Council of Asia.-Sports:...
. This made her the third woman athlete to win an Asian Games gold for India ,after Kamaljit Sandhu (400 metres-1974
1974 Asian Games
The 7th Asian Games were held from September 1, 1974 to September 16, 1974 in Tehran, Iran. The Aryamehr sports complex was made for the Games. The Asian Games were hosted in the Middle East for the first time...
) and Geeta Zutshi
Geeta Zutshi
Geeta Zutshi is a former Indian athlete. She established several national and Asian running records in 800 m and 1500 m track events....
(800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
-1978
1978 Asian Games
The 8th Asian Games were held from December 9, 1978 to December 20, 1978 in Bangkok, Thailand. Originally, the host city was Singapore but Singapore dropped its plan to host the Games due to financial problems. And then Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan was decided to host the 8th Games...
). She later figured in a silver medal winning 4 X 400 metres relay team. She won the Arjuna Award
Arjuna award
The Arjuna Awards were instituted in 1961 by the government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in National sports. The award carries a cash prize of 500,000, a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll....
in 1982 and the Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
in 1983 and the G. V. Raja cash award from Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
Government.
After being eliminated early in the 400 m hurdles in the Los Angeles Olympics, Valsamma began concentrating more on 100 m hurdles. She won a gold in the 100 m hurdles and a silver in 400 m hurdles in the first National Games in 1985. She won a silver in the quarter-mile in the Malaysian Open and gold and silver in 4 x 400 metres 4 x 100 metres relay in the Asian Track & Field Meet in Delhi.
Valsamma also appeared in the Spartakiad 1983 in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in Islamabad fetched her bronze in the 100 metres, a Silver in the quarter-mile and the Gold m the 4 x 400 metres relay. In the Beijing Asian Games
1990 Asian Games
The 11th Asian Games also known as XI Asiad were held from September 22, 1990 to October 7, 1990 in Beijing, China. It was the first large-scale international sports event to be held in the People's Republic of China. A total number of 6,122 athletes, coming from 37 countries, competed in 29 sports...
, where she won silver medals in the 4 x 100 and the 4 x 400 metres relay races.
In a career spanning nearly 15 years, M.D. Valsamma took part in World Cup
IAAF World Cup in Athletics
The IAAF Continental Cup is an international athletics competition which comprises track and field events. It is the only world cup contested by teams representing entire continents, rather than just those of individual nations...
meets in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the Asian Games editions of 1982, 86, 90 and 94 and in all the Asian Track & Field meets and SAF Games, leaving her mark in each and every competition.