Rani Rampal's inspiring words behind Neelam's success in Junior Asia Cup
'Believe in yourself' -- these words from former India captain Rani Rampal seem to have had a transformational effect on young drag-flicker Neelam Panghal, who emerged the star of the side, scoring the winning goal for India in the Junior Asia Cup final against Korea in Japan on Sunday.
The 19-year-old 'go-getter' from Hisar district in Haryana struck in the 41st minute as India defeated four-time champions Korea 2-1 in Kakamigahara, Japan on Sunday.
"Whenever she (Rani) conducted a session, she told us to 'believe in yourself', and that is what inspired me," said Neelam on Tuesday.
"I took a few penalty corner sessions from Rani di in Bengaluru, especially about her hitting skills. When I was young and started taking penalty corners, I used to drag (the stick) but I started taking hits watching Rani di. I have learnt a lot from her."
Neelam became determined after seeing her sisters fail to make it to the national level and the resolve only grew with time.
"I took up hockey watch