The Indian men’s hockey team returned from the Paris 2024 Olympics campaign on Saturday, filled with new records and a bronze medal. The 16-member squad, boasting 11 members from the bronze-winning team in the Tokyo Olympics, etched their names in history by achieving back-to-back Olympic medals for the first time since the 1972 Munich Olympics. Captain Harmanpreet Singh expressed his joy, stating, “It is very heart-warming to see Indian fans come out to receive and congratulate us for the bronze medal. The team left no stone unturned to prepare for the Olympics, and to see your efforts bear fruit, to see the whole country rejoice in our victory, is an inexplicable feeling.”
The Paris Games witnessed the Indian men’s hockey team defeat Australia by 3-2, a victory that marked the first time they had triumphed over the Aussies in the Olympics after 52 years. In the quarterfinals, the team displayed remarkable resilience, defending with a man down for over 40 minutes before forcing penalty shootouts and securing a 4-2 victory, thanks to the heroic performance of PR Sreejesh.
Vice Captain Hardik Singh highlighted the strong camaraderie within the squad, saying, “The trust we had in each other, the unshakeable belief that a teammate will step right up to cover up if you miss a step, is what pushed us to always give our best on the field.”
Legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh announced his retirement before the Paris Olympics. Inspired by his dedication and legacy, the team vowed to ‘Win it for Sreejesh’, and they delivered, culminating in a bronze medal match against Spain. Harmanpreet Singh, the top scorer of the Paris 2024 Olympics with 10 goals, netted a brace to seal victory in this crucial match.
“The Paris 2024 Olympics turned out to be an unforgettable experience, we will cherish these memories for some time to come. With this bronze medal, the team has proved that Indian Hockey is back on track. We are a force to be reckoned with, and on our day, we can really be unstoppable,” concluded Harmanpreet.
