Two stubborn girls from two villages in Haryana — Kiran Pahal of Sonepat and Neeru Dhanda of Jind — will return home from the Asian Games in Nagoya with a rich haul of medals, having carved their names in the record books through years of grit, sacrifice and perseverance.Speaking to The Tribune from Nagoya, Kiran said, “Zid se he jeet milti hai. Haryana mein ladkiyon ko kai front par ladna padta hai. (You can only win if you’re stubborn. In Haryana, girls have to fight on many fronts).”For Kiran, who set the tone for India’s gold medal-winning women’s 4x400m relay team on Tuesday by running the opening leg, the victory marks the culmination of a journey that began on a sandy school ground at her native Gumad village, where she trained barefoot as a 10-year-old.Shooter Neeru Dhanda from Sangatpura in Jind district has enjoyed an equally remarkable campaign, winning two gold medals in the individual trap and trap mixed team events, besides a silver in the trap team event.Her road to success was far from smooth. A kabaddi player in her early years, Neeru switched to shooting at the age of 19 after suffering an injury. She also faced severe financial constraints, although support from relative Sombir Sheoran helped her pursue the sport.Her father Suresh Dhanda was initially hesitant about her taking up shooting as a career. As if those challenges were not enough, Neeru came down with flu just a week before the Asian Games, which delayed her departure to Japan by four days.Kiran, too, had to overcome a series of setbacks before reaching the podium. In May this year, a shoulder injury required her to undergo platelet-rich plasma therapy. Last year was even tougher, as she underwent surgeries on both knees and spent months recovering.The memories of her early struggles remain vivid. Her training was once halted after a villager saw her talking to a boy near the school ground and informed her father Om Prakash. Her uncle objected to her continuing in sport, claiming she was “going on the wrong path”. Kiran recalled that she rebelled by refusing to attend school. “Finally, my father allowed me to resume practice,” she said.Her father, a court clerk, emerged as her strongest supporter despite social pressures and financial constraints. He allowed her to travel daily to Sonepat’s Subhash Stadium for training. Money was scarce, leaving little room for specialised equipment or diet. Every day, she would board the 8 am train to Sonepat and return home by 3 pm. “In Haryana society, a girl has to fight it out,” Kiran said.