“Seeing the whole country celebrate is an indescribable feeling”
– Harmanpreet Singh
The Indian men’s hockey team returned to Bharat on Saturday after winning the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. The team was warmly welcomed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, where fans had gathered to celebrate with drums and music. The players also danced to the beats of bhangra during the festivities.
Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh expressed his joy at seeing Indian fans come forward to congratulate the team for their bronze medal victory at the Paris Olympics 2024. He mentioned that the team left no stone unturned in their Olympic preparation and witnessing their efforts bear fruit and seeing the entire nation celebrating their victory was an indescribable feeling.
In a statement released by Hockey India, Harmanpreet described the Paris Olympics as an unforgettable experience. He said that the team would cherish these memories for some time. With the bronze medal, the team has demonstrated that Indian hockey is back on track. He urged fans to continue supporting and loving hockey, promising that the team would strive to win more for them.
Team vice-captain Hardik Singh spoke about the camaraderie within the team, stating that there was an unshakeable trust among teammates. He noted that if someone faltered, another team member would step up to fill the gap, which motivated them to always give their best on the field.
The Indian team showcased remarkable performance at the Paris Olympics. They defeated Australia 3-2, marking their first victory over the team in 52 years. The team also displayed excellent play in the quarter-finals against Great Britain.
Despite playing with 10 players for over 40 minutes after a red card was shown to Amit Rohidas in the second quarter, the team won the penalty shootout 4-2 to advance to the semi-finals. Although India lost 3-2 to Germany in the semi-finals, they secured the bronze medal by defeating Spain 2-1 in the bronze medal match.
