India have won an Olympic medal in hockey after a gap of 41 years. I feel proud of P R Sreejesh, the guardian of Indian goal and one of the stars of our hockey team which secured an Olympic bronze medal. I can brag about his achievements since both of us live in the same district. He is from Kizhakkambalam, which is about 20 km away from my home in Panampilly Nagar. I'm eagerly waiting for his return from Tokyo to catch a glimpse of that historic medal!
India were once a force to be reckoned with in men's hockey having won as many as 11 medals including eight gold at the Olympic Games. Those were the golden days of Indian hockey. That glorious past now seems a dim and distant memory. However, this exciting result could well mark the sport’s much-awaited revival in the country.
The play-off match against Germany was an absolute thriller and the contest culminated in a victory for the spirited Indians who staged an epic comeback to end the medal jinx. Let's not forget that we would have been deprived of this bliss and joy had Sreejesh failed to make that stunning save in the final few seconds. Dear Sreejesh, thank you for bringing so much joy into our lives.
We should be grateful to the Japanese as well. Without their dedication and discipline, this Olympics would not have been possible.
I would also like to extend my heartiest congratulations to Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, P V Sindhu, Lovlina Borgohain, and Ravi Kumar Dahiya, who made the nation proud by finishing on the podium.
The men's hockey team has shown that it is possible for India to not just be competitive but even victorious again. I cannot stop praising Sreejesh, whose heroics in front of the goal saved the day for the country. He's a real fighter and I feel inspired and motivated by him. Born into a traditional agricultural family, he had tried his luck in sprint events, shot put and the javelin throw as a teenager before he switched to hockey. Like me, many others might have wondered what prompted him to make that decision.
Sometimes you have to follow your heart, no matter the consequences. Sreejesh has proved that if you pursue your dreams with confidence, you can achieve anything in life. On behalf of all Indians, I thank his parents for supporting him and helping him realise his dreams.
