Indian men’s hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh has announced that the team is dedicating their Paris Olympics 2024 campaign to retiring goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. Sreejesh, widely regarded as one of India’s greatest goalkeepers, will retire from professional hockey after the Paris event. The 36-year-old goalkeeper played a crucial role in securing India’s bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and will be ending his illustrious career following the games in Paris.
Harmanpreet Singh, who will be participating in his third Olympics alongside Sreejesh, shared an emotional tribute to the goalkeeper on his Instagram account. He praised Sreejesh for his inspiring leadership and recalled the pivotal role he played during the 2016 Junior Men’s World Cup, where he mentored the team to victory. Harmanpreet expressed the team’s resolve to win a medal in Paris as a tribute to Sreejesh, emphasizing that the upcoming tournament will be particularly meaningful.
“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 the 2016 Junior World Cup when we lifted the title. It was the beginning of many of our careers in international hockey. We want to ‘win it for Sreejesh’ and are all the more encouraged to stand on the podium once again,” Harmanpreet said.
In a statement about his retirement, Sreejesh reflected on his career with pride and anticipation for the future. “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, and fans. Thank you for believing in me. Here’s to the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new adventure,” Sreejesh said.
India’s hockey team is set to start their campaign in Paris on July 27 against New Zealand. The dedication to PR Sreejesh is expected to fuel their determination as they strive for success in the upcoming Olympics.
