“We wanted to win for Sreejesh” - Mandeep Singh reflects on Paris Olympics campaign; shares aspirations for LA 2028
One of the leading stars of the Indian hockey team over most of the last decade, Mandeep Singh played a crucial role in the run to the second consecutive Olympic medal at the Paris Games. For Mandeep, winning bronze medals in consecutive Olympics is the highlight of his international career.
"Nothing can compare with the feeling of winning an Olympic medal. This is the highest honor for a sportsman. The welcome we got after returning to India was amazing," Mandeep told Sportskeeda.
Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh retired after the Paris Olympics, bringing an end to an illustrious career that lasted the better part of a decade and a half.
Dedicating the podium finish at the Paris Olympics to Sreejesh, Mandeep said:
"We wanted to win for Sreejesh. He has done a lot for Indian hockey. He has been standing like a wall in front of the goal for all these years."
The Indian team produced a splendid show at the Paris Olympics, dribbling past strong teams like New Zealand, Belgium, Australia, Argentina, and Great Britain before going down to Germany in the semifinals. India eventually bagged the bronze medal by defeating Spain 2-1 in the playoff for the third spot.
Mandeep eyes the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
Even as the entire country is celebrating the resurgence of Indian hockey following the historic feat at the Paris Games, Mandeep is already looking forward to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
"Winning medals in back-to-back Olympics is not an easy task. We have to keep up this momentum and maintain this form till the LA Olympics," he remarked.
The Indians displayed excellent fighting spirit during the bronze medal playoff against Spain. They fought back from a goal down to claim victory convincingly.
"We were determined to stick to our game plan irrespective of the score. We had faith in ourselves and believed that we could win from any situation. We finally prevailed when Harmanpreet scored from a penalty corner," Mandeep said.
"Our self-belief and the hard work that we had put in for the last several months have finally paid off," he signed off.