Tokyo Olympics 2020: Hockey Star P R Sreejesh Is 'The New Wall' Of Indian Sports

Leading 5-4, India conceded a penalty corner with six seconds on the clock from the final buzzer, but Sreejesh, 'The Wall' came to India's rescue.

India's goalkeeper PR Sreejesh celebrates by sitting on top of the goal's crossbar after winning the men's bronze medal match of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games field hockey competition by defeating Germany 5-4. (Image Source: AFP)

It was nothing short of magic, as the Indian men's hockey team quenched the Olympics medal thirst from the event after a gap of 41 years. There was a time when India dominated hockey fields and were absolute powerhouses. They ruled for four decades starting late 1920s till the 1980s. So a Bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics after the 1980 Moscow Olympics is almost "rebirth" of the game for India.

While many names will be remembered for their contribution to reaching this stage, no one has worked harder than the former Indian captain and Goalkeeper P R Sreejesh. For the Indian goalie, this was a wait of 21 years as a hockey professional.

Not only was he crucial for the team, but he emerged the real hero or "The Wall", what people are calling him now, saving penalties to deny the opponents lead during the Bronze medal match between India and Germany.

Germany got a total of 13 penalty corners during the game Thursday. 

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"It's a rebirth, that's it," declared India's ecstatic GK P R Sreejesh after the win. "Today when we won it, this gives a boost and gives energy to the youngsters to pick up hockey, play this game," the 35-year-old Sreejesh said after the match highlighting the attention hockey will get in the cricket-crazy nation.

Leading 5-4, India conceded a penalty corner with six seconds on the clock from the final buzzer, but Sreejesh and his "The Wall" like demeanor came to India's rescue.

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Sreejesh has had a phenomenal tournament, coming to the team's rescue every time attacks have been mounted. Now Tweeple are hailing his effort and calling him "The Wall".

Honours and laurels have been coming Sreejesh's career, who has a cabinet full of trophies and now has an Olympic medal to go along with it, but interestingly he already has a road named after him.

‘Olympian Sreejesh Road’ exists as the Kerala government decided to honour Indian GK by naming road passing along his house in Kizhakkambalam after the Indian men's hockey team won a gold medal in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

 

After the 5-4 win against Germany, PR Sreejesh took it all in and wrote "let me smile now" on his Twitter handle.