New Delhi: Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh announced on Monday that the Paris Olympics 2024 will be his last international outing with the Indian hockey team. A veteran of 328 International caps, three Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World Cups, Sreejesh will be playing his fourth Olympic Games and was one of the architects of India’s historic bronze medal win in Tokyo two years back.
Sreejesh was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021 and is only the second sportsperson from India to win the award of World Games Athlete of the Year 2021. He has also won back-to-back FIH Goalkeeper of the Year awards in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Last year, he stood tall in India’s Gold medal-winning campaign at the Asian Games that sealed the team’s berth for Paris 2024. “As I prepare for my last dance in Paris, I look back with immense pride and forward with hope. This journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, and I am forever grateful for the love and support from my family, teammates, coaches, fans and Hockey India. Thank you for believing in me,” expressed Sreejesh.
He further added that he had discussed with the team about his decision to retire post-Olympics. “My teammates have stood beside through the tough and the ardent times. We all want to give our absolute best here in Paris and certainly, the desire is to change the colour of our medal.”
Congratulating Sreejesh on his stellar career, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said, “Sreejesh was hardly 18 or 19-years-old when I first saw him in the Indian camp and if I recall right, he made his international debut when I was Captaining the Indian team. He is a very special player and my heart fills with joy and gratitude for his exemplary contribution to Indian hockey.
“This outing in Paris will certainly be a special one for the team and I believe Sreejesh’s decision will only encourage the team further to stand on the podium yet again and make it truly special not just for Sreejesh but for the entire hockey fraternity. I wish him and the team the very best.”
With Sreejesh retiring, the Indian players have decided to dedicate their campaign to the wall under the goal. “Paris 2024 will indeed be a special tournament. We have decided to dedicate our campaign to the legend PR Sreejesh. He has been an inspiration for all of us and I still remember his mentorship in 2016 Junior World Cup when we lifted the title.
“It was the beginning of many of our careers in International hockey and he has shaped each one of our careers in his own way. We want to ‘Win it for Sreejesh’ and we are all the more encouraged to stand on the podium once again,” said captain Harmanpreet Singh.
