Indian Men’s Hockey Team Receives Rousing Welcome After Paris 2024 Bronze Medal
The Indian men’s hockey team returned home to a hero’s welcome after clinching the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This historic achievement marked the first time India won back-to-back Olympic hockey medals in over 50 years, since the 1972 Munich Games.
The team was greeted with thunderous applause and cheers from adoring fans at the Delhi Airport. Captain Harmanpreet Singh, who finished as the top scorer of the tournament with 10 goals, expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support:
“It is inspiring to see Indian fans emerge to get and salute us for the bronze decoration. The group investigated every possibility to plan for the Olympics and to see your endeavors prove to be fruitful, to see the entire nation cheer in our triumph, is a mysterious inclination.”
The Indian squad showcased immense resilience throughout their campaign. They defeated Australia 3-2 for the first time in 52 years at the Olympics and successfully defended with a man down for over 40 minutes in the quarterfinals against Great Britain, forcing a penalty shootout where goalkeeper PR Sreejesh emerged as the hero.
Before heading to Paris, veteran keeper Sreejesh had announced his plans to retire. Inspired by the rallying cry “Win it for Sreejesh”, the team fought hard to secure the bronze medal in a thrilling 2-1 victory over Spain in the third-place playoff.
Vice-captain Hardik Singh highlighted the strong team bond that propelled them to success:
With this bronze medal, the Indian men’s hockey team has proven that the sport is back on track in the country. Their performance has made the entire nation proud and has set the stage for even greater achievements in the future.
