PR Sreejesh to retire from international hockey after Paris 2024 Olympics

Indian hockey titan PR Sreejesh has confirmed the upcoming Olympics will be his last tournament in international hockey.

“As I stand on the threshold of my final chapter in international hockey, my heart swells with gratitude and reflection. This journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, and I am forever grateful for the love and support from my family, teammates, coaches, and fans,” Sreejesh wrote in a thread on his X account, reminiscing his 18-year-old career with the national team.

“I still remember my father selling our cow to buy my first kit. His sacrifice ignited a fire within me, pushing me to strive harder, dream bigger,” he added.

Sreejesh made his India debut in 2006 and has made 328 appearances for the senior side.

The veteran goalkeeper also went on to captain the team. It was under his leadership that India featured at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The ‘crowning’ moment of his career as he put it was India’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics campaign, when Sreejesh played a pivotal role in India winning their first-ever Olympics medal in Hockey since 1980.

“The crowning glory, our Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo 2020, was a dream realized. The tears, the joy, the pride – it was all worth it,” Sreejesh said.

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Sreejesh was also part of the Indian squad that won silver at the 2022 Birmingham Games and a gold at last year’s Asian Games.

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