Ashwini Nachappa was the glory girl of Indian female sprinting in the early 80`s having beaten P.T. Usha. There were many great moments in her life, with regards to her achievements.

However, the first great moment was in the first All India Open Nationals when she won the first gold for the state and the then chief minister Gundu Rao presented her a cash award of Rs.1000.

In the Mangalore Nationals, Anand Shetty and she had emerged the `fastest man and woman` and she ran the 400 metres for the very first time finishing behind P.T. Usha, Shiny Wilson, Vandana Shanbhag and Valsamma. The selection to the 1988 Olympic trials in Bangalore and being part of the Indian team to Seoul for the main event was Ashwini`s biggest moment.
Ashwini`s twin wins over `Payyoli Express` P. T. Usha catapulted her to a household name in India. The first time, at the Open Nationals in New Delhi `91, when she had won over P.T.Usha, in the 400 metres, every one called it a fluke. But, then she came back strongly two weeks later in an international invitation permit meet, also in New Delhi, and finished behind a Russian, pushing Usha to the third spot. The Arjuna Award that she received in June 1990 was yet another memorable occasion.