Paris, France – Day 13: India males fought again from a aim down to beat a monumental problem from Spain, with group captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring twice to assist India to their second successive Olympic bronze medal on a scorching afternoon on the Yves-du-Manoir Hockey Stadium.
It was a fairytale ending to the enjoying profession of India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who made quite a few essential blocks towards the Pink Sticks to win an Olympic medal in his last look for his nation.
Sreejesh – a two-time FIH Hockey Stars Goalkeeper of the Yr, profitable over 330 caps – lower an emotional determine on the finish of the competition as gamers and employees celebrated and honoured a participant who represented India with such distinction over an 18-year worldwide profession.
India’s bronze medal at Tokyo 2020 was their first Olympic podium end since 1980. Nevertheless, whereas their wait for one more was far shorter, they definitely didn’t have all of it their very own approach in a match full of stress.
Following a cagey first quarter, the sport burst into life when Spain’s Marc Miralles launched a penalty stroke excessive into Sreejesh’s aim following a slipshod India sort out within the circle. The Pink Sticks nearly doubled their benefit when Borja Lacalle rattled the body of aim earlier than India hit again on the stroke of half time, with Harmanpreet slamming a ferocious penalty nook towards the Spanish backboard.
Harmanpreet – who additionally netted in India’s 5-4 bronze medal win over Germany at Tokyo 2020 – put his facet forward three minutes after the break with one other fantastic penalty nook drag-flick, this time selecting deception over energy to search out the underside left nook. It was Harmanpreet’s tenth aim of the competitors, having scored two thirds of India’s fifteen targets right here on the Olympic Video games Paris 2024.
Spain rallied exhausting within the dying phases of the match, placing the Indian aim underneath intense stress. Nevertheless, Sreejesh produced some excellent saves to seal an exquisite win for India, bringing the curtain down on his profession in wonderful type.
“I really feel nice”, mentioned India captain Harmanpreet. “We create historical past once more, back-to-back (bronze medals). It’s an enormous day for India and an enormous day for hockey. We had been right here for gold, however sadly, that dream was shattered.”
Commenting on the match, Harmanpreet was extremely proud about how his group carried out immediately. “Right this moment’s sport was excellent. We performed as a group. Everybody delivered, particularly our legend Sreejesh. It was his final sport. It’s a memorable sport for him, and an enormous achievement as a group. He gave all the pieces to hockey in India, however now it’s his time. He isn’t going anyplace. He’s right here (pointing to his coronary heart).”
The end result signifies that India males have now received 13 medals in Olympic hockey, with eight golds, one silver and 4 bronze. For Spain, lacking out on the bronze medal is a painful method to finish an outstanding marketing campaign right here in Paris. Nevertheless, having achieved their finest Olympic end since Beijing 2008, they will depart with their heads held excessive.
Additional info and statistics in regards to the match will be discovered right here.
The hockey competitions on the Olympic Video games Paris 2024 happen from Saturday 27 July to Friday 9 August. Each the boys’s and girls’s competitions characteristic 12 groups, cut up into two swimming pools of six forward of quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches. For extra details about the hockey competitions at Paris 2024, go to Olympics.Hockey.
Olympic Video games Paris 2024 – Hockey
8 August 2024 – Day 13Men’s medal matches – Thursday 8 August 2024 (all instances CEST)
Outcome
14:00: India 2-1 Spain19:00: Germany v Netherlands
Girls’s medal matches – Friday 9 August 2024 (all instances CEST)14:00 – Bronze: Argentina vs Belgium20:00 – Gold: Netherlands vs China
Last Standings
Males
Gold: Silver:Bronze: India4: Spain5: Belgium6: Australia7: Nice Britain8: Argentina9: South Africa10: Ireland11: France12: New Zealand
Girls
Gold: Silver:Bronze: 4: 5: Australia 6: Germany 7: Spain 8: Nice Britain 9: USA 10: Japan 11: South Africa 12: France
Pool standings overviewsMen: click on right here. Girls: click on right here.
