PR Sreejesh: An unbeatable wall, the person who led India Hockey Team at Olympics 2016
The talented Hockey player PR Sreejesh was given the command of national Hockey team in 2016 just before the commencement of the Rio Olympics. Until that time Sardar Singh was the regular captain of the team.
Under the captaincy of goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, the Indian hockey team performed very well in the 2016 Rio Olympics and reached to quarterfinals.
Rio Olympics 2016
When PR Sreejesh went to Rio Olympics with the team as a captain, that time many were not sure about how the team is going to perform. But the result was surely surprising. PR Sreejesh's team won 3 out of 5 group stage matches and in the Quarterfinals, India team had to play opposite Belgium. India lost that match 3-1, but won hearts. Well, the team who was playing with the new captain did perform well.
Career Start
Talking about PR Sreejesh career, it got a kick start in 2004 when he found his place in the junior national team of hockey. In just two years, the player got a chance to play for national team in Asian Games held in Colombo. However, the final place for the player was still not confirmed. In 2008, the junior team won Hockey World Cup and PR Sreejesh was the best performer of the tournament. He even won the best goalkeeper of the tournament award.
Currently, PR Sreejesh is writing history in his own style but it was a long struggle story for the player to make his place in the National team. PR Sreejesh has proved himself and now confirmed his place in the national team.
Turing Point of his career
It is necessary to tell this incident of his career when it comes to his struggle story. In 2015, a hockey world league match was being played in Raipur. In that match, Sreejesh was injured and he had to use a bandage. He was in pain and every moment of the game was painful for him. When he entered the ground his teammates were laughing at him and told him that he was looking like a mummy.
It was a necessary game for the team as they had to win the bronze medal against Holand, finally, the moment arrived of penalty shootout and like the film Chak De India, he saved the last goal and helped the team to win the match.
Background
PR Sreejesh was born to a farmer family in Ernakulam, Kerala on May 8, 1988. Interestingly, the boy couldn't get his mind clear on which sport is best for him. He enjoyed running so he decided to be sprinter, then he started doing long jumps because that game gave him joy. Then he thought of playing volleyball. Well, he finally got the solution to this strange problem, when got admission in a school, where the coach suggested him to be a hockey goalkeeper. Now he is one the great goalkeepers of hockey team India.
First published: 16 November 2017, 16:05 IST