India clinches bronze in men's hockey, secures fourth medal at Paris Olympics

PARIS: India defeated Spain 2-1 in the men's hockey third-place match, securing a bronze medal—India's fourth overall at the Paris Olympics. The match was a significant milestone as it marked the retirement of Malayalee goalkeeper P R Sreejesh, who concluded his illustrious international career on a high note, much to the pride of the Malayalee community.

This victory also marked India's 13th Olympic hockey medal, with the previous bronze also won in the Tokyo Olympics. The match saw Spain take an early lead in the second quarter through a goal by Marc Miralles. However, India equalized in the 30th minute with a goal from captain Harmanpreet Singh, who then scored again in the 33rd minute to secure the win.

India's journey to the bronze medal came after a narrow 2-3 loss to world champions Germany in the semi-finals, dashing their hopes of reaching the Olympic final for the first time in 44 years. Nonetheless, Sreejesh's farewell with a medal added a celebratory note to India.