New Delhi: Goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh stood like a wall and fended off Spain’s persistent attacks to pave the way for a historic victory for the Indian men’s hockey team at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday.
The team secured a thrilling 2-1 win against Spain to claim the bronze medal on Thursday, marking its second consecutive Olympic bronze following a third-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Since 1972, this is the first time the Indian men’s hockey team has won back-to-back Olympic medals. After falling behind in the second quarter after a penalty stroke goal from Spain’s Marc Miralles, two crucial goals in the 30th and 33rd minutes by India’s Harmanpreet Singh helped the team take the lead. Meanwhile, a wall-like Sreejesh did not allow Spain a second chance in the much-followed game.
Before the match, Sreejesh, now 36, announced his retirement in an X post, expressing “gratitude and pride” in a heartfelt message. “From a young boy with a dream to the man defending India’s honour”, Sreejesh called his journey “extraordinary”. Thanking India for believing in him, Sreejesh promised that this was not the end but the beginning of cherished memories, signing off with, “Forever a custodian of dreams.”
After its win Thursday, the Indian team paid a heartfelt tribute to Sreejesh, acknowledging his dedication and contributions to Indian hockey by collectively bowing down in a gesture of gratitude.
Former Indian captain and midfielder Manpreet Singh, in a post-match interview with Jio Cinema, dedicated the Olympic bronze to Sreejesh, saying, “I dedicate this medal to Sreejesh. I have played alongside him for 13 years, and now, as a team, we are winning. This victory is for him.”
Sreejesh has been guarding the Indian goalpost for the men’s hockey team with all his might for a long and gruelling 18 years. His legendary career is one for the books.
Also read: What’s not allowed in Olympic Village — the rules for athletes that got Antim Panghal sent home
‘Roaring custodian’
Sreejesh would not have gone without a trophy room; he has winning habits. Now a double Olympic medallist, having added a bronze from the 2024 Paris Olympics to his collection, the “roaring custodian” boasts a haul of medals, including a bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, gold in the 2022 Asian Games in China, a silver in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in England, and a gold medal in the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy.
With him at the goalpost, the Indian men’s hockey team has won a gold medal in the 2014 Asian Games and a bronze in the 2018 Asiad in Jakarta-Palembang and secured other significant wins at the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy and the 2019 FIH Men’s Series Finals in Bhubaneswar.
Widely regarded as ‘the best goalkeeper in the world’ among fans, Sreejesh has honours such as the Padma Shri (2017), Khel Ratna Award (2021), and World Games Athlete of the Year (2021) under his belt. He is also a two-time Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH) Goalkeeper of the Year (2021, 2022), a testament to his prowess.
Born on 8 May 1988 in Kizhakkambalam in the suburbs of Kerala’s Kochi, Sreejesh grew up in a farming family and completed his early education locally. Initially interested in sprinting, long jump, and volleyball, Sreejesh shifted to hockey at 12, joining the GV Raja Sports School in Thiruvananthapuram, where his coach introduced him to goalkeeping. Under coach Jayakumar’s guidance, Sreejesh turned professional, playing in school and later in the Nehru Cup. Sreejesh also graduated with a degree in history from Sree Narayana College in Kerala’s Kollam.
Sreejesh’s hockey career took off after his selection to the Indian junior team in 2004. However, a series of setbacks, including a severe injury and being dropped from the team, threatened to derail his progress.
Undeterred, he worked tirelessly to regain his place, eventually making his senior debut at the South Asian Games in 2006 against Pakistan. Intense competition and self-doubt marked his early years in the national team, but Sreejesh persevered, honing his skills and earning the trust of his coaches and teammates. By 2011, he had established himself as India’s first-choice goalkeeper, paving the way for a storied career marked by numerous accolades.
Sreejesh took over the captaincy of the Indian hockey team in 2016 from Sardar Singh. Under his captaincy, the Indian team reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Sreejesh’s crowning moment came at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he
played a crucial role in India’s bronze medal win against Germany, ending a 41-year Olympic medal drought for the country in hockey.
In a 2021 interview with The Indian Express, Sreejesh had said, “It’s difficult to love a goalkeeper. He is invisible and is only in the limelight when he makes a blunder.”
However, his remarkable career has proven him wrong — he is now widely celebrated and admired by Indians, defying the notion that goalkeepers are hard to love.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)