Sports Minister Mandaviya to meet Indian men's hockey team to discuss future plans after bronze medal win at Paris Olympics
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandavya is likely to meet the Indian men's hockey team any day before September 10 to discuss their future plans and strategies to win the gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He said his meeting with the team would also draw a roadmap so that the men could excel on the international stage.
On Tuesday, Mandaviya felicitated key players of the Indian men's hockey team. This included star goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, defender Sanjay, Amit Rohidas, and striker Abhishek, who had returned from Paris earlier in the morning following their victorious campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Mandaviya, while addressing the players, said the commendable performance of the team has brought the nation glory as they came close to winning the gold. While talking to PTI, he said:
“It’s been a wonderful performance from you guys, we didn’t get the gold but we came very close to it and the way you guys inspired after the semifinal loss is commendable.”
Though they could not bring the top prize, Mandaviya said the players' journey to Olympic glory had just begun. He emphasized that the government was committed to ensuring it delivers everything the team needs for preparation in the next four years. He affirmed his belief that India would come back from the 2028 Los Angeles Games with a gold medal.
Mandaviya lauds Indian men's hockey team despite semifinal loss
Mandaviya also gave a thumbs-up to the Indian men's hockey team's overall performance at the Paris Olympics 2024, where the country fell just one medal short of their haul in Tokyo, with six in total—five bronze and one silver.
He again showed margins of closeness, saying that India actually missed seven more medals, as the country had to endure the ignominy of a fourth-placed finish across several events.
“In Tokyo, we won seven medals but in Paris we won six. But the fact is we missed out on seven more medals by finishing fourth, which is a worthy performance,” he said (via PTI).
The Indian men's hockey team won the bronze at Paris, registering a 2-1 win over Spain after being a goal down. It was India's 13th Olympic medal in hockey history, their second straight bronze.
This win expanded India's hockey record at the Olympics and also marked the last international match for their veteran goalkeeper, PR Sreejesh.