Hyderabad, July 22 -- Abhijit Sen Gupta

The day was the 8th of August, 1984. The Olympic Games were in progress in Los Angeles and the women's 400 metre hurdles race was about to begin. The atmosphere was electrifying and the participants were visibly nervous. Indian eyes were on track star P.T. Usha who was widely expected to get a medal. Another strong runner was the sixfeet tall Judi Brown of the USA who was in Lane8.

Nobody took notice of a short and thin girl from Morocco named Nawal El Moutawakel in Lane 3. Nobody noticed that there was a quietconfidence in her attitude and a determined look in her eyes.The first time there was a false start and the runners had to be recalled to the starting blocks by the judge. The next time the ...