PR Sreejesh: From Olympic Hero to Junior Hockey Team Coach

Olympic Bronze and Retirement

• India secured back-to-back Olympic bronze medals in men's hockey, defeating Spain 2-1 in Paris Olympics 2024.
• PR Sreejesh, 36, played a crucial role in India's victory, making vital saves throughout the tournament.
• The goalkeeper faced 62 shots during the campaign, successfully saving 50 of them.
• This Olympic bronze marks Sreejesh's final match for India, concluding his illustrious 18-year career.
• Captain Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace (30th and 33rd minutes) to secure the win for India.
• The victory is especially significant as it's India's first consecutive Olympic hockey medals in 52 years.
• Sreejesh's emotional celebration on the ground was joined by his teammates, marking a historic moment in Indian hockey.

Appointment as Junior Team Head Coach

• Hockey India (HI) announced Sreejesh as the new head coach for the Indian junior men's hockey team on August 8, 2024.
• The decision was made shortly after India's bronze medal victory at the Paris Olympics.
• HI Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh made the initial announcement, stating it would be discussed with SAI and the Government of India.
• Hockey India expressed excitement about Sreejesh's new role on social media, highlighting his transition from player to coach.
• Sreejesh had previously expressed his passion for coaching and desire to leverage his vast experience in this new role.
• He emphasized his experience with various coaches and his role as a communicator and organizer on the field as valuable assets for coaching.

PR Sreejesh's Illustrious Career

• Sreejesh made his junior national team debut in 2004 and senior team debut in 2006.
• He was part of the 2008 Junior Asia Cup-winning team, earning the 'Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament' award.
• His career spans four Olympic Games (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024), four World Cups (2010, 2014, 2018, 2023), three Asian Games (2014, 2018, 2022), and three Commonwealth Games (2014, 2018, 2022).
• Nicknamed 'The Great Indian Wall of Indian hockey', Sreejesh has become an icon in the sport.

His medal achievements include:

• • Gold at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games
  • Silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics
  • Bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
  • Bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Honors and Future Steps

• Hockey India hosted a special celebration to honor Sreejesh's contributions to Indian hockey.
• The organization felicitated Sreejesh with a trophy and a cash prize of INR 25 Lakhs.
• HI announced that Sreejesh's jersey number 16 would be retired at the senior level as a gesture of gratitude.
• Interestingly, the number 16 will not be retired in Junior Hockey, allowing Sreejesh to potentially create another 'Sreejesh, No.16' as a coach.
• Head Coach Craig Fulton praised Sreejesh's relentless drive and unmistakable influence on the Indian side.
• Sreejesh is expected to officially assume his new position after the celebrations for the bronze medal win.
• The transition marks a new chapter in Sreejesh's career, moving from playing to nurturing the next generation of Indian hockey talent.