“The match was exciting”: Pargat Singh on India’s bronze medal win at Paris Olympics

New Delhi [India], August 9 (ANI): As Harmanpreet Singh’s side secured third place at the Paris Olympics, former Indian Hockey player Pargat Singh said that the bronze medal match at the Summer Games was “exciting and nail-biting”.

A brace from skipper Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh’s effortless saves secured a bronze medal for India at the Paris Olympics with a 2-1 win over Spain at the Yves du Manoir Stadium.

Notably, India won consecutive bronze hockey medals for the first time in 52 years since the 1972 Munich Games.

Speaking to ANI, Pargat Singh accepted that Spain got many penalty corners in the end moment of the bronze medal match at the Paris Olympics.

“The match was exciting and nail-biting. Spain got many penalty corners till the end… As compared to the Germans, Spain does not do tight markings. Harmanpreet Singh scored 2 goals which led to our victory…,” Pargat Singh said.

Former goalkeeper of the Indian hockey team Mir Ranjan Negi said that it was a good day for PR Sreejesh and the country is proud of him.

“This is an amazing day for the Hockey team, we won back to back to the bronze medal which is an amazing thing…This was a good day for Sreejesh also…He played very well and the country is proud of him…,” Mir Ranjan said.

While playing in an electrifying atmosphere, the Indian team added a fourth medal to their tally at the Paris Olympics after being down 0-1 after the first quarter.

Sreejesh, who was playing his last game for India, went on the ground, filled with emotions, and the rest of the team joined him to celebrate the momentous occasion in India’s hockey history.

Under the reign of coach Craig Fulton, India created history and secured back-to-back bronze medals at the Olympics. Goals from Harmanpreet Singh (30′, 33′) for India were enough to get them across the finish line. For Spain, Marc Miralles (18′) was the sole goal scorer.