Harmanpreet And His Boys Stage an Epic Comeback

Shilpa Rajan August 13, 2024

Harmanpreet and His Boys Come Back Strong

Harmanpreet and his boys, after a painful defeat in the semi-final against Germany, came back strong. They played against Spain and won the Bronze Medal. India also won the Bronze Medal at the Tokyo Olympics. This year, after their win against Great Britain despite being one man down, hopes were high. However, they lost the semi-final against Germany by the slightest of margins.

All’s well that ends well— the Indian Team will go back home with happy faces and hearts. This marks the first time in 52 years that the Indian Hockey team has won consecutive Olympic medals. Previously, they had consecutive podium finishes at the 1968 Mexico and 1972 Munich Olympics.

Spain Started Well

Spain started the proceedings well, with Captain Marc Miralles scoring the first goal in the 18th minute and putting India under pressure in the 2nd quarter.

Harman the Saviour

The equalizer came from Harmanpreet towards the end of the 2nd quarter, making the score 1-1 by halftime. Harmanpreet then gave the Indian team the advantage. He scored his second goal in the 3rd minute of the 3rd quarter, putting his team in front. Spain tried hard in the remaining time but could not manage an equalizer, and India won the match 2-1.

Read Also: India to Host the First-Ever Junior Hockey World Cup in December 2025
The victory at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium saw India secure a record-extending 13th medal in hockey at the Olympics. Harmanpreet was the hero for India in this Olympics, leading from the front as captain and scoring 10 goals for his team in Paris.

End of an Era

“The Wall of Indian Hockey,” R. Sreejesh, had announced his retirement before the Olympics. The game against Spain was his last match, and he finished on a high note, winning an Olympic medal in his final game. In his 18-year-long career, he featured in 4 Olympics. It was a crucial part of the Tokyo and Paris Olympics where India won the Bronze Medal.