Members of the Indian men’s hockey team, winner of Paris Olympics Bronze medal, at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, in Delhi on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
Members of the bronze-winning Indian men’s hockey team returned early on Saturday morning to a warm welcome and a hectic day of felicitations, meetings, and media interactions. The tired players, led by Harmanpreet Singh, expressed satisfaction with the performance at the Paris Olympics.
India was the only team from the Tokyo Games three years back to retain a spot on the podium, winning back-to-back medals after a gap of 52 years. Eleven of the 16 members, along with the reserve players, arrived here with the remaining scheduled to return after the closing ceremony, including goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh who will be the second flag-bearer.
“It is very emotional to be welcomed so warmly. Our target was always gold, but unfortunately that could not happen. But we are happy we did not come back without a medal because we had spared no effort in our preparations and the way the team played throughout the tournament, we deserved it,” a visibly tired but smiling Harmanpreet said.
Paris Olympic bronze medallist Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, in Delhi on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
The team was received by fans and Hockey India officials and, after brief interactions with the media, moved to the Major Dhyan Chand national stadium for an official felicitation and meeting with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. The team also paid its respects to Dhyan Chand at the stadium.
“The entire nation is proud of the team’s achievement. This victory is a testament to your perseverance, teamwork, and indomitable spirit. Hockey is more than just a sport for us — it’s a symbol of national pride. The hard work, commitment, and passion by the team has shown what can be achieved with resolve and determination,” Mandaviya said.
Vice-captain Hardik Singh, hand in sling after the collision he suffered in the bronze-medal match against Spain, admitted the quarterfinal against Great Britain, which India was forced to play with 10 men for almost three quarters, brought the team closer than anything else.
The Indian men’s hockey team players celebrate after their arrival at Delhi airport after winning a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
“The trust we had in each other, the belief that a teammate will step up to cover if you miss a step, is what pushed us. And it really shone through in the match against GB. And if all else failed we had the big man, Sreejesh, between the posts to bail us out,” he admitted.
“The Paris Olympics was an unforgettable experience. The team has proved that Indian hockey is back on track. All we need is belief in our team and continued support from the fans.
“I request everyone to continue loving hockey and supporting us, and we will continue to give our all to keep winning,” Harmanpreet, who finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals, hoped.