India's woman hockey player Lalremsiami has dedicated her FIH Rising Star of the Year award to her late father.
"I had a mixed year in 2019. It was a huge personal loss for me when I lost my father. He always motivated me to do well, and I am sure he would be giving his blessings from above. I would like to dedicate this award to him," Lalremsiami said in a statement.
The 19-year-old on Monday bagged the award ahead of Argentina's Julieta Jankunas and Frederique Matla of the Netherlands, who finished second and third respectively.
Lalremsiami received the news of the demise of her father ahead of the semi-final clash against Chile in June last year. Her father, Lalthansanga Zote passed away due to a heart attack.
Lalremsiami thanked coaches and teammates for supporting her throughout her career and felt honoured after receiving winning the award.
"It is a huge honour for me because there were so many great players nominated in the same category. I am really thankful to my family for giving me the freedom to choose my career in hockey, and to my coaches and teammates who have always supported me throughout," she said
Lalremsiami stated that this award will act as a motivation for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
"The award obviously serves as a great motivation for the upcoming Olympics, and gives me more confidence and belief to go on and do my best for the team for years to come," she added.
( With inputs from ANI )