‘A triumph of…’: PM Narendra Modi leads celebrations as India wins hockey bronze in Paris
India defeated Spain 2-1 to clinch the third place.
Congratulating the India Men's Hockey Team after it clinched the bronze medal by defeating Spain 2-1 at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, prime minister Narendra Modi called the group's success a ‘triumph of skill, perseverance and team spirit.’
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“A feat that will be cherished for generations to come! The Indian Hockey Team shines bright at the Olympics, bringing home the Bronze Medal! This is even more special because it is their second consecutive Medal at the Olympics. Every Indian has an emotional connect with Hockey and this accomplishment will make the sport even more popular among the youth of our nation,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Union home minister Amit Shah also lauded the team for its ‘splendid show of mettle’ while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, wrote on X that he was ‘proud to see you all bag the Bronze Medal.’
Gandhi also ‘thanked’ goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who was playing his final international match.
Sreejesh had announced before the Olympics that this would be his last tournament for the national team.
Also Read: PR Sreejesh bows down to his hockey gear after final match as India win Olympic bronze; teammates pay special tribute
Meanwhile, skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored twice after the opener by Marc Miralles, his Spanish counterpart; in the semi-finals, India and Spain were defeated 3-2 and 4-0 by Germany and the Netherlands, respectively.
At the previous Games in Tokyo, held in 2021 after being postponed from the original 2020 schedule due to Covid-19, India defeated Germany 5-4 in a thrilling game for the third spot.
Before that 2021 win, India, eight-time Olympic champions in men's hockey, last won a medal – gold – at the Moscow Games in 1980.