{"id":285901,"date":"2025-04-20T01:55:28","date_gmt":"2025-04-20T01:55:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/20\/pr-sreejesh-shares-memory-of-paris-olympics-crowd-was-cheering-sreejesh-sreejesh-and-i-heard-sachin-sachin\/"},"modified":"2025-04-20T01:55:28","modified_gmt":"2025-04-20T01:55:28","slug":"pr-sreejesh-shares-memory-of-paris-olympics-crowd-was-cheering-sreejesh-sreejesh-and-i-heard-sachin-sachin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/20\/pr-sreejesh-shares-memory-of-paris-olympics-crowd-was-cheering-sreejesh-sreejesh-and-i-heard-sachin-sachin\/","title":{"rendered":"PR Sreejesh shares memory of Paris Olympics: \u2018Crowd was cheering \u2018Sreejesh-Sreejesh\u2019 and I heard \u2018Sachin-Sachin\u2019!\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In the final few matches of the Paris Olympics, as his retirement neared and India looked to fight for another hockey medal at the Games, goalkeeper PR Sreejesh\u2019s mind went back to one of his childhood sporting idols.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we were playing those last matches in Paris, the crowd was cheering \u2018Sreejesh, Sreejesh!\u2019 I could hear \u2018Sachin, Sachin!’\u201d he said. \u201cOf course, I spent my entire childhood loving Sachin (Tendulkar). And when I heard the crowd showing me the kind of love that he used to get, I felt like even I have achieved something in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Memories from Paris, where Sreejesh played a leading role in the men\u2019s hockey team winning bronze \u2014 the first time in 52 years that they have won medals at back-to-back Olympics; Sreejesh at the centre of both \u2014 will remain special for the 36-year-old.<\/p>\n

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Standards for the team have been raised, there remains a feeling among the group that they are not jubilant by merely winning bronze when gold was on the table. But nevertheless, Sreejesh leaves the stage with ease after capping off his career in style.<\/p>\n

That ease was palpable during Wednesday\u2019s celebration, as Sreejesh was feted by the federation, with prominent sportspersons and his entire team in attendance for an elaborate felicitation ceremony in New Delhi<\/a> in which Hockey India officially announced that they will retire his jersey number 16 and that he will be the next coach of the junior hockey team.<\/p>\n

He reconfirmed that his love for the game he has dedicated his life to is intact, but insists he has no regrets. The moment for family time has come.<\/p>\n

\"Paris New Delhi: Paris Olympics bronze medallist hockey player PR Sreejesh during an interview with PTI, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (PTI Photo\/Manvender Vashist Lav)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll miss everything about hockey though,\u201d he said on the sidelines of the ceremony. \u201cFrom warmups, to meetings, team bonding, abusing players, eating with the group\u2026 All of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cMy entire life has been about hockey and I\u2019ve done everything around this group. I don\u2019t know life beyond it, but I\u2019m excited about what comes next,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The most memorable moment? \u201cMy first jersey. When I wore it and looked into a mirror, I saw my name and \u2018India\u2019\u2026 It was special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Focus now shifts on to his next assignment as junior coach. Sreejesh insists that despite entering unchartered territory where he will have to shape the promising talents of the next generation, he is clear about his philosophy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll focus on correcting their basics,\u201d he said. \u201cI love Germany\u2019s style, when they\u2019re up 1-0, they win the game. I love the Australian style too, concede 10 goals, score 11. We need to stick to our Indian style too.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cOur way of playing is great, making it a skillful game. Use it, adapt it, play attacking hockey. But make less mistakes and control what you can, just the basics. If you\u2019re passing, look for the right pass. Stop attackers on the run. Keep the ball in attack, try to hit within the goalpost. Save the goals that you can and don\u2019t worry about conceding the ones that were extraordinary. It\u2019s easy to teach kids hockey, but it\u2019s hard to get them to stick to the basics.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n