The Indian Olympic campaign has been nothing less than tragic with so many fourth position finishes and near misses. Amidst the disappointments, the Indian hockey team won a second consecutive bronze to match its Tokyo feat. In what is the country’s national sport and a sport that we dominated for several decades with eight Olympic golds (six on the trot) only to go medal less for four decades until Tokyo, the successive bronzes to go with the golds in the Asian Games are a sure sign of path to regain its lost glory for the national sport. And one man who has played more than a significant part in this revival is PR Sreejesh, the legendary goalkeeper who just retired. Under coach Craig Fulton, if Indian hockey has built a more rounded style adding defensive heft to its hitherto aggressive style, Sreejesh being a wall in front of the goal is integral to this change. The Indian Express profiles his life in this piece:
““It’s difficult to love a goalkeeper. He is invisible, and is only in the limelight when he makes a blunder. When I was young, I didn’t know who India’s goalkeeper was then. Besides, I am not someone who goes behind attention, never gone behind superstar-dom,” he had said in an interaction with the Indian Express back in 2021.
Sreejesh’s selfless fighting character was amply evident in this Olympic campaign where he saved numerous goals throughout, particularly valiant in the quarter finals against Great Britain when India were down to 10 men for much of the game.
“..more than his sporting achievements, his demeanor would play a huge role in endearing himself to the masses. He never spun a scandal, was utmost gamely, remained grounded, never threw celebrity tantrums, never ripped off in luxury cars or flaunted monstrous houses, never plunged into ill-advised business ventures. He spoke, talked and walked like an everyman one sees on the street.
.. The ‘custodian of dreams’ has won a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, won gold in the 2022 Asian Games in China, a silver medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in England and a gold medal in the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy. He also won a gold in the 2014 Asian Games and a bronze medal in the 2018 Asiad in Jakarta-Palembang. He was also part of the Asian Champions Trophy-winning side in 2018, and the 2019 FIH Men’s Series Finals champion team in Bhubaneswar.”
It was only apt that the Indian team gave him a fitting farewell by dedicating the bronze medal to him. Sreejesh and team may not have won the gold but did deliver golden performances.
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