Following his team’s bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics, Indian men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, who played brilliantly throughout the entire Olympics, celebrated the victory and posted a picture with the medal on Instagram. Taking to Instagram, Harmanpreet posted a picture of him kissing his medal, captioned, “Hello India this is for you.” The Harmanpreet Singh-led side secured a historic bronze medal, defeating Spain 2-1, marking their second consecutive Olympic medal, an achievement last accomplished 52 years ago.
The match, held at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium here on Thursday, was especially significant as it also served as the farewell game for legendary Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who played his last international match.
The Indian team, led by Captain Harmanpreet Singh, delivered a stellar performance, with the skipper himself scoring two crucial goals in the 30th and 33rd minutes. Their victory not only secured the Bronze medal but also solidified India’s position as a dominant force in international hockey.
Singh emerged as the leading goal-scorer, netted 10 goals in eight matches, surpassing Australia’s Blake Govers, who scored seven goals, by three.
PR Sreejesh was also the star of the match, pulling out some memorable and stunning saves.
Meanwhile, Hockey India announced a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh for each player of the men’s hockey team and Rs 7.5 lakh for each member of the support staff in recognition of their bronze medal triumph at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey lauded the team’s historic performance, and said, as quoted from HI, “This victory is a testament to the hard work, determination, and resilience of our players and support staff. Winning back-to-back Olympic medals is an extraordinary achievement that reflects the resurgence of Indian hockey on the world stage. On behalf of Hockey India, I congratulate the entire team and support staff for their exceptional performance and dedication. The cash prizes are a token of our appreciation for their relentless pursuit of excellence. I would also like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to PR Sreejesh for his stellar career and invaluable contributions to Indian hockey. His legacy will inspire future generations.”
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