Celebrations at goalkeeper PR Sreejesh's home after India's bronze medal triumph at Paris Olympics
Aug 08, 2024
New Delhi [India], August 8 : Celebrations unfolded in Kerala's Ernakulam at goalkeeper PR Sreejesh's home after the Indian men's hockey team scripted history and clinched back-to-back bronze medals in the Olympics following their triumph over Spain on Thursday in Paris.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh found the back of the net twice to seal a 2-1 win over Spain at the Yves du Manoir Stadium. During India's win, Sreejesh was the fulcrum for the team with his eye-catching savs against Spain and throughout their campaign.
In Kerala's Ernakulam, goalkeeper Sreejesh's family distributed sweets and burst crackers to celebrate the momentous occasion in the history of Indian hockey.
India's triumph also marked the end of the illustrious career of the seasoned goalkeeper. He brought the curtains down on his career with an Olympic bronze medal. After the win, he was filled with emotions, and the players lifted him up to celebrate his memorable career and India's triumph.
Sreejesh's wife, Aneeshya, was unable to express her joy through words and told ANI, "He told me this is the last match he has to win and that he would come back with a bronze medal. I agree with his decision. While watching the match, we were very tense. It is an emotional moment. Sometimes, we cannot express ourselves through words."
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Sreejesh's daughter Anusree was heartbroken after India lost to Germany and failed to reach the final. But the bronze medal win brought a feeling of joy once again, and said, "It is very good news that the Indian team won the bronze medal. I was heartbroken in the finals when they lost."
The fever of the Indian team's success reached Madhya Pradesh as celebrations erupted in hockey player Vivek Sagar's residence in Narmadapuram.
While in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, Indian hockey player Raj Kumar Pal's brother believes that this win will inspire the next generation and said, "I am very glad that my brother is playing hockey at this level. Our coach has a very important role to play in this. This is the country's win. This will inspire the youth of our country. We are very excited to welcome Raj Kumar Pal."
The 2-1 win saw India win consecutive bronze hockey medals for the first time in 52 years in the Olympics since the 1972 Munich Games.
