Following a heartbreaking loss in the men’s semi-finals, the Indian hockey team now has their eyes set on winning another bronze medal at the Pairs Olympics. India enjoyed a brilliant run in the men’s hockey event at the Paris Games until the semi-finals where they lost 2-3 to Germany.
Indian skipper Harmanpreet Singh expressed his disappointment at failing to secure a gold medal while speaking to JioCinema after the match. “This is extremely disappointing as we came here to win a gold medal. But, having said that, it’s better to go home with bronze than nothing. When you lose in the semifinal game, it’s not that easy to take as reaching the final is a dream of any athlete,” he said.
India’s goalkeeper PR Sreejesh also voiced a similar sentiment as he is set to retire from international hockey after the conclusion of the Paris Olympics. “It’s a heartbreaking loss for us. We had the chance to win gold, but now, we have to forget this semifinal and focus on the bronze medal match,” Sreejesh said. Sreejesh also highlighted a few errors the team made during the high-octane affair. “We can’t commit such silly mistakes during the match. We could not make an impact in the opponent’s half. I think rather than my situation, the team is more important. Just forget about that and play the next game in a better way, bounce back in the next game,” he explained.
India made their way to the knockouts after a solid group stage where they defeated Pool B sides including, New Zealand, Ireland and Australia. They played out a 1-1 draw against Argentina while losing their only game to Belgium 1-2. In their first quarter-final fixture, India squared off against Great Britain. They eventually overcame the Englishmen in a nail-biting tie-breaker.
As for their semi-final clash, India took early control of the match thanks to a seventh-minute finish from Harmanpreet Singh. Germany were quick to respond as Gonzalo Peillat and Christoper Ruhr added goals in the 18th and 27th minutes. India’s Sukhjeet Singh Singh scored the equaliser nine minutes later. Eventually, Germany found scored once again in the dying stages to prevent India from making the final. India will now compete against Spain in the bronze medal match tomorrow, August 8. They were successful in securing a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Catch Paris Olympics 2024 Day 12 LIVE Updates Here. Stay updated with the latest from Olympics 2024. Explore India At Paris Olympics 2024 Today. Check the updated list of Paris Olympics 2024 Medal Tally. Check Paris Olympics 2024 Event Results.
Comments
0 comment