Paris [France], August 9 : Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced the nomination of hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh as the joint flagbearer with pistol shooter Manu Bhaker at the Closing Ceremony of the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024.
IOA President PT Usha said Sreejesh was both an emotional and popular choice within the IOA leadership, including the Chef de Mission Gagan Narang, and the entire Indian contingent. "Sreejesh has served Indian hockey in particular and Indian sport in general admirably through more than two decades," Usha was quoted by the IOA.
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 on Thursday.
PT Usha said she had spoken with javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who claimed his second successive Olympic Games medal by winning silver on Thursday. "I spoke with Neeraj Chopra and appreciate the spontaneity and grace with which he agreed that Sreejesh should be the flagbearer at the Closing Ceremony," she said.
"He told me 'Ma'am, even if you had not asked me, I would have suggested Sree bhai's name'. It is reflective of the immense respect Neeraj has for Sreejesh and his contribution to Indian sport," she said.
Neeraj Chopra fell short of retaining his gold medal in the men's javelin throw at the ongoing marquee event securing silver with a best throw of 89.45 meters.
IOA had earlier named Manu Bhaker as the female bearer after became the first athlete since India attained Independence to win multiple medals in a single Olympic Games. She won bronze medals in the 10m Air Pistol Women and the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team (with Sarabjot Singh), the release added.
Bhaker opened India's medal tally in the ongoing Olympics after she secured third place in the women's individual 10m Air pistol event, becoming the first-ever woman shooter to win an Olympic medal for India. Following that, Sarabjot Singh and Bhaker won the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol (mixed team) event, which was India's first-ever shooting team medal.
She had a shot at returning with three medals from Paris. But in her final event, she narrowly missed out on the historic grand treble and finished fourth in the women's 25m pistol shooting event. She missed out on the opportunity to become the first Indian to win three medals at the Olympics.Bhaker is the first athlete from the Indian contingent after independence to get two medals in a single edition of the Paris Olympics.
Earlier in the 1900 Olympics, Norman Pritchard won two medals while representing India, both silver in the 200m and 200m hurdles.
Bhaker also joined an elite group of athletes to have multiple individual medals at the Olympics: PV Sindhu (badminton silver at Rio 2016 and bronze medal at Tokyo 2020) and Sushil Kumar (wrestling bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics).
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