India Clinches Bronze in Men’s Hockey at Paris Olympics 2024, Defeating Spain 2-1

India Clinches Bronze in Men’s Hockey at Paris Olympics 2024

The Indian men’s hockey team secured a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics by defeating Spain 2-1 on Thursday, marking the end of their week-long medal drought. This is India’s 13th hockey medal at the Olympics.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh led the team to victory, scoring twice in quick succession at the 30th and 33rd minutes, after Marc Miralles gave Spain the lead with a penalty stroke in the 18th minute.

Harmanpreet, an ace drag-flicker, emerged as the top scorer in the men’s hockey event at Paris 2024, netting 10 goals in total—seven from penalty corners and three from penalty strokes. This victory brings India’s medal tally at the Paris Games to four, with this being the first medal outside of shooting events.

Notably, this marks the first time since 1968 and 1972 that India has won hockey medals in consecutive Olympic Games, following their bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where they defeated Germany 5-4.

Fitting farewell for veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh

The bronze also served as a fitting farewell for veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who had previously announced that the Paris Olympics would be his last.

Sreejesh ended on a high, winning Bronze medal in Olympics, arguably one of the Greatest ever in Hockey history.

Indian men’s hockey at the Olympic Games

Indian men’s hockey has a storied history at the Olympic Games, being one of the most successful teams in the history of the sport.

India won a total of eight gold medals – in 1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964 and 1980,

one Silver medal in 1960 and

four Bronze medals in 1968, 1972, 2020, 2024.

Here’s a brief overview:

Golden Era (1928-1956):

• 1928, Amsterdam: India won its first Olympic gold medal, defeating the Netherlands 3-0 in the final. This marked the beginning of India’s dominance in Olympic hockey.
• 1932, Los Angeles: India continued its winning streak, securing gold by defeating the USA 24-1, a record scoreline in an Olympic final.
• 1936, Berlin: India won their third consecutive gold, beating Germany 8-1 in the final, with the legendary Dhyan Chand scoring a hat-trick.
• 1948, London: In the first Olympics after India’s independence, the team won gold by defeating Great Britain 4-0, a victory filled with symbolic significance.
• 1952, Helsinki: India clinched their fifth gold medal, beating the Netherlands 6-1.
• 1956, Melbourne: India secured their sixth consecutive gold by overcoming Pakistan 1-0 in the final.

Post-Golden Era (1960-1980):

• 1960, Rome: India reached the final but lost to Pakistan 1-0, securing a silver medal.
• 1964, Tokyo: India regained the gold by defeating Pakistan 1-0 in a closely contested final.
• 1968, Mexico City: India won bronze, defeating West Germany 2-1.
• 1972, Munich: India secured another bronze medal, overcoming the Netherlands 2-1.
• 1980, Moscow: India won their last Olympic gold in hockey, defeating Spain 4-3 in the final. This victory remains India’s most recent gold medal in Olympic hockey.

Recent Era (2000-Present):

• 2020, Tokyo: India ended a 41-year wait for an Olympic medal by winning bronze, defeating Germany 5-4. This victory marked a significant resurgence in Indian hockey.
• 2024, Paris: India clinched another bronze medal, defeating Spain 2-1. This marked the first time since 1968-1972 that India won medals in consecutive Olympic Games.

Overall Medal Tally:

• Gold: 8 (1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964, 1980)
• Silver: 1 (1960)
• Bronze: 4 (1968, 1972, 2020, 2024)

India’s success in Olympic hockey, especially during the early and mid-20th century, established the country as a powerhouse in the sport, with its legacy continuing to inspire generations.

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