'We didn't give up': 'Speechless' Manpreet thanks COVID warriors with Olympic bronze
A MEDAL IN HOCKEY AFTER 41 YEARS!
Manpreet Singh and the company ended India’s medal drought after beating Germany 5-4 in their Olympic bronze medal match on Thursday.
The Captain and Coach of the Indian Men’s Hockey Team🏑 🇮🇳 had a surprise caller after their historic victory this morning in #Tokyo2020
Listen in and send in your wishes as the country celebrates an #Olympics medal in hockey after 41 years👏🏼🎉
And don’t forget to #Cheer4India pic.twitter.com/XU0VNXeSMw— SAIMedia (@Media_SAI) August 5, 2021
Overwhelmed by emotion after leading India to its first Olympic hockey medal in 41 years, skipper Manpreet dedicated the historic triumph to the country's doctors and healthcare workers, who have worked tirelessly to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An UNFORGETTABLE moment! 🙌😍
The one that #IND has been hungry for over 41 long years. ❤️#Tokyo2020 | #UnitedByEmotion | #StrongerTogether | #BestOfTokyo | #Hockey | #Bronze pic.twitter.com/R530dyTjS1— #Tokyo2020 for India (@Tokyo2020hi) August 5, 2021
Let me smile now 🙏 pic.twitter.com/8tYTZEyakU
— sreejesh p r (@16Sreejesh) August 5, 2021
The 29-year-old from Jalandhar was 'speechless' following the epoch-making 5-4 victory over Germany that gave India their 12th hockey medal in the Olympics but one that came after over four decades
The last time India stood on the podium was at the 1980 Moscow Games where they won gold. The country has eight gold medals in all the Games.
IN PHOTOS: Indian men's hockey team clinches first Olympic medal in 41 years
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#WATCH | Punjab: Family members of hockey player Gurjant Singh in Amritsar celebrate the victory of Team India's match against Germany.
India won #Bronze medal in Men's Hockey in #TokyoOlympics. This is India's first Olympic medal in hockey after 41 years. pic.twitter.com/tgmXaXMVsZ— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2021
“I don't know what to say right now, it was fantastic. The effort, the game, we were 3-1 down. I think we deserve this medal. We have worked so hard, the last 15 months were difficult for us also, we were in Bangalore and some of us got COVID also,” Manpreet recalled.
“We would like to dedicate this medal to doctors and frontline health workers who have saved so many lives in India,” he said.
A relentless Germany tested every bit of the resolve that the Indian hockey team had and Manpreet acknowledged the grit of the opposition.
#WATCH | Manipur: Family members and neighours of hockey player Nilakanta Sharma in Imphal dance as they celebrate the victory of team India in Men's Hockey.
India won #Bronze medal in Men's Hockey against Germany in Tokyo #Olympics pic.twitter.com/dEF92jtNse— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2021
“It was difficult, they got a penalty corner in the last six seconds. We thought we have got to save it with our lives. It is really hard. I am speechless right now,” said the skipper, who seemed overcome by emotion.
“We had a long gap when we didn't get a medal. Now we will get more confidence, yes we can do it. If we can finish on the podium in Olympics, we can finish on the podium anywhere,” he added.
A COMEBACK of the highest order! 🔥🔥🔥#IND scored two back-to-back goals in the second quarter to make it 3-3 vs #GER and then broke through in the third quarter to turn the match in their favour. 👏#Tokyo2020 | #UnitedByEmotion | #StrongerTogether | #BestOfTokyo pic.twitter.com/SW8ZrbGrTp
— #Tokyo2020 for India (@Tokyo2020hi) August 5, 2021
India had endured a 2-5 loss to Belgium in the semifinals, which put paid to their hopes of gold at the Games. Manpreet said coach Graham Reid shook the players out of the disappointment by telling them to stay focussed on the playoff game.
“…we didn't give up. We kept fighting back. It's a great feeling, the best feeling. We came here for the gold, we won bronze, it is still a great thing. It's a great moment for all hockey fans,” he said.
“It's just a start here, it hasn't finished (with this bronze),” he added.
First #hockey medal for India in 41 years!
Men's hockey team bags the bronze medal 🥉 at the #Olympics beating Germany
Entire Nation is Elated! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/8NnsEZPEXV— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) August 5, 2021
Drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh, who was one among the five scorers on the day, could not hold back tears while talking to the media and said it is just the start of great things in Indian hockey.
Still not leaving the goalpost because they are top of the world. 💪😍#HaiTayyar #IndiaKaGame #Tokyo2020 #TeamIndia #TokyoTogether #StrongerTogether #HockeyInvites #WeAreTeamIndia #Hockey pic.twitter.com/wKLJMP42ab
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 5, 2021
“People were forgetting hockey in India. They loved hockey, but they stopped hoping that we can win. But we won today. They can expect more from us in the future. Keep believing in us,” he said.
PM, others hail men's hockey team's Olympic success
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in hailing and celebrating the Indian men's hockey team's historic bronze medal-winning feat at the Olympic Games, saying the day will be etched in the memory of every Indian.
प्रफुल्लित भारत! प्रेरित भारत! गर्वित भारत!
टोक्यो में हॉकी टीम की शानदार जीत पूरे देश के लिए गर्व का क्षण है।
ये नया भारत है, आत्मविश्वास से भरा भारत है।
हॉकी टीम को फिर से ढेरों बधाई और शुभकामनाएं। 🏑 #Tokyo2020— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 5, 2021
Wow!! Indian Men’s Hockey Team Congratulations. Resilience and skill at its peak. What an exciting match.
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) August 5, 2021
Congratulations Team India on rewriting history! An Olympic medal after 41 years! What a match, what a comeback! #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/3mdym3Cupa
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) August 5, 2021
The Indian men's hockey team's Australian coach Graham Reid said he feels 'privileged to be a part of the game's revival in India after the side clinched its first Olympic medal in 41 years by beating Germany in the bronze play-off.
Pretty proud of these legends! pic.twitter.com/Kms2gcuvJp
— Graham Reid (@reidgj) August 5, 2021
The 57-year-old, who was a part of Australia's silver-winning team in the 1992 Barcelona Games, took over as India coach in 2019 and has obsessively talked about pursuing a process and investing in youth to get the results at a big stage like the Olympics.
WITH PTI INPUTS