Biography of PR Sreejesh
PR Sreejesh is the goalkeeper and former captain of the Indian men’s hockey team. He is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers in the world today, he has grown in stature and is considered by many to be one of the best in the world today. Known for his fast bowling skills, the reliable goalkeeper is often referred to as the wall of Indian hockey.
He started his journey to stardom with a spectacular performance in the 2008 Asian Junior Men’s Cup as he was voted as the best goalkeeper of the tournament. He went from strength to strength and played an impressive role in many famous Indian victories over the years.
His inspirational performance at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon played a major role in India’s golden campaign to qualify for the Rio 2016 Games, where he led the team. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2015 and the Padma Shri in 2017 for his outstanding achievements in the field of sports.
Sreejesh’s Early Life
Sreejesh was involved in many other sports like sprint, long jump and volleyball among others during his childhood, and Sreejesh never dreamed of becoming a hockey player.
He spent his first days before joining hockey at GV Raja Sports School. His high school grades inspired him to try hockey. As an obedient student, Sreejesh took his mentor’s advice and started playing hockey. The result of his coach’s advice is that today Sreejesh is among the best hockey goalkeepers in the world, not just in India.
Arise in glory
When he entered the team, he did not do well. He is often a substitute But as they say, their player is being built and the world is waiting to see it. It was in the year 2011 when he saved the Pakistan team’s penalty in the 2011 Asian Championship final. He was a national star after the game. This was followed by becoming a permanent member of the national team in every sport.
After becoming a member of their team, he worked hard on his skills to become the best goalkeeper. His efforts are also reflected in his performance on the pitch. Soon after the Asian Cup, he also played an important role in other tournaments. India can win Asia Cup 2013 with their continuous efforts. The best goal award was added to his crown. It’s easy to miss the best goalkeepers in Australia and Germany.
Spectators rejoiced again on the day of his Championship Trophy performance held in 2014. His focus on the pitch helps the Indian hockey team on many fronts. Although India finished fourth in the tournament, Sreejesh’s skills claimed him as the best goalkeeper in the tournament. His magic didn’t stop there. His brilliant performance won the Indian hockey team the gold medal in the 2014 Asian Games.
The Indian team has always benefited from their strong decision-making ability and their good representation at the Asian Games in Incheon. As the wine gets better with time, Sreejesh’s skills improve day by day. The Indian hockey team also did well in the Champions League and won the silver medal.
The team’s efforts showed speed in a very important game like the 2016 Olympics, but they could only reach the quarterfinals. The year 2018 also brought a big boost to his skills as he won the silver medal for India in the Breda Champions Trophy. It also added a bronze medal to an Indian medalist at the Asian Games in Jakarta.
Indian Hockey Wall – PR Sreejesh
Sreejesh saved as many as 13 penalty strokes from Deutsch’s onslaught and stood like a wall, with impeccable defense. India was leading 5-4 in the match,
but if Germany had scored a goal in 6 seconds, the match would have gone to penalties. But Sreejesh asked Germany’s Lukas Windfeder as India celebrated the bronze medal in Tokyo.
Sreejesh debuted in 2006 and made his mark immediately. He received the Asia Junior Best Goalkeeper Award in 2008. The Kochi-born boy played an important role in the 2011 Asia Champions Trophy final by saving two penalties. During the 2014 and 2018 Champions Trophy, he was named “Goalkeeper of the Tournament”.
In 2016, as captain of the Indian hockey team, he won the silver medal at the Men’s Hockey Championship in London. It’s safe to say that Sreejesh is an indomitable force that the Germans don’t know how to break when it matters most. And it was not only this game that Sreejesh showed his superhuman instincts – during the tournament, whether against New Zealand, Argentina or even Belgium, Sreejesh was the outstanding player.
PR Sreejesh became the second Indian to win the World Player of the Year
Sreejesh beat competition from mountaineer Alberto Ginés López of Spain and Italian wushu player Michele Giordano for the award.
“I am very honored to receive this award. Firstly, a big thanks to FIH for nominating me for this award, and secondly a big thanks to all the Indian hockey fans around the world, who nominated me,” Sreejesh said in a statement.
Sreejesh, former Indian hockey captain and member of the bronze medal winning team at the Tokyo Olympics, got 1,27,647 votes, while Lopez and Giordane got 67,428 and 52,046 votes respectively. The 33-year-old is the only Indian to be nominated and endorsed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
At the FIH Stars Awards in October, Sreejesh was named the goalkeeper of the year 2021. “Being selected, I did my part, but others are fans and hockey players.
So this award is theirs, I think they deserve it more than me. “It’s also a good time for Indian hockey because everyone in the hockey community, hockey teams around the world have supported me, so it’s good to see this support from the hockey family,” Sreejesh said. .
He presented his team with honors and a promotional program that led the team to the Tokyo Olympics. “I’m a person who doesn’t believe in individual wages, especially when you’re part of a group,” he said.
“It’s not just one 33 man, but you also have a lot of people involved behind it, there’s coaching staff, there’s support staff, there’s a big association like Hockey India that supports you a lot.
