Click to play videoNew Delhi: Ever heard of Neha Aggarwal? Perhaps not, but be prepared to see this name on the back pages of newspapers soon. The 18-year-old is the only Indian woman table tennis player to have qualified for the Olympics and the teenager sees it as a stepping stone for greater heights.
"I am not scared. I will go and enjoy there," says she.
A rookie in the national Table Tennis circuit, Neha pipped senior pro's like Poulami Ghatak and Mouma Das to qualify for the holy grail of world sport. And though just a teenager, Neha isn't overawed by the occasion.
"It is a nice feeling to play for the country, that too in Olympics. I won't take pressure. I am only 18," says she.
Naturally gifted with sharp reflexes, Neha took to table tennis at the age of six and has never looked back. The four-time junior national champion credits all her success to the unflinching support from her parents and coach Sandeep Gupta.
And the proud coach says that his favourite pupil is a fantastic student.
A student of St Stephens college, Neha juggles between practice and studies with ease.
And though now she will be training under a foreign coach and has a psychologist to help, some minor flaws need to be ironed out.
Her coach says, "She needs to stress both physically and mentally on her game as long as she is in Delhi."
For now, her sight is firmly trained at performing at the Olympics.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.