The Bangkok Asiad 100m bronze medallist vows to eclipse all records held by sprint queen PT Usha, especially the short sprint mark.

Fresh from a commendable show at Bangkok where she came out of nowhere to clinch the bronze after being confined initially to the 4x100 relay, Rachita serves notice of her aims and ambitions as she spoke to The Indian Express

at a felicitation organised by the Maharashtra State Government to honour the state's medal winners at the Asian and Commonwealth Games on Tuesday.

``I want to erase all records held by PT Usha's. Especially the 100 metres because she once said nobody can run faster than her. I want to tell her that Rachita Mistry is here who can do it,'' Rachita declares ``When Usha said this, I was really upset as I used to run along with her. Her words imply there is no good sprinter left in India,'' she adds with a wry smile.

Her challenge, though, is not to disrespect the legendary Usha asRachita reflects on the `Payyoli Express' and her contribution to athletics in the country. Rachita avers: ``Nobody can even come close to what she had done for Indian sports. But her respect for Usha is tinged with a little criticism: ``She never encouraged juniors which she should have done. I am sure I will run 100 metres in less than 11.39 seconds (Usha's record).

Winning the individual bronze medal at Bangkok wasn't easy as she failed to qualify for the event in trials back home before the Asiad. Rachita, however, ran the 100m individual event heats and astoundingly made the final. Just 24 hours before the final, Rachita was asked by the Indian team management to concentrate on the relay.

But her coach Adi Sumariwalla's words inspired her. A former champion sprinter himself, he said: ``I have come here from India not to see you running only the relay, I want to see you running 100 metres finals and going back with a medal.''

It worked wonders for Rachita. She became buoyant and confident as shereflected on the moments before the final: ``I had the feeling that I am not going back without an individual medal.''

Rachita, who hails from Orissa, did not enjoy a good start that she wished for but she explains her efforts to make up for lost ground.

``After just 30 metres, I saw everybody slowing down and I pushed myself hard to cover the distance and to catch up with the leader but in the last 10 metres I lacked vigour as I did not train myself for a good finish.''

Rachita appreciates that in short sprints (100 metres), two basics work for a medal -- a good start and a good finish. ``But my strength has always been the middle 40 metres and I won the medal because of that.''

A painful sciatic nerve has not restrained her from performing on the domestic and international circuit.

Bangkok seems to have provided Rachita the soothing balm as well as the tonic to launch a determined bid for a place at the Sydney Olympics -- and who knows, another medal!