Retiring India goalkeeping legend PR Sreejesh has made a heartfelt gesture by engraving her wife Aneeshya's name on his hockey stick for the Paris Olympics 2024.
PR Sreejesh is set to bid adieu to his illustrious international career after the conclusion of India's hockey campaign at the biggest quadrennial multi-sport event in the capital of France. The 36-year-old will be looking to end his career on high by being on the podium with the India hockey team.
India's quest for gold continues as the Men in Blue defeated Great Britain in the quarterfinals. After the match ended in a 1-1 draw, India triumphed in a penalty shootout with a 4-2 win, securing their place in the semifinal. Harmanpreet Singh and his team were ecstatic after defeating Great Britain.
PR Sreejesh, in particular, was overjoyed after India's quarterfinal win and showed the camera his hockey stick, where he had engraved his wife's name as a tribute to her for playing a significant role in his career. The video of the gesture went viral on social media.
PR Sreejesh and his wife Aneeshya have been knowing each other since their collage days and the couple have been together for 22 years. Aneeshya Sreejesh is a aryuvedic doctor by profession and she juggles between work and home when her husband is away for national duties. Apart from being an Aryuvedic doctor, Aneeshya is a former long jumper in college.
Sreejesh married Aneeshya in 2013 and they have two children, a daughter Anushree born in 2014 and a son Sreeansh born in 2017.
'I got two more matches now': PR Sreejesh
PR Sreejesh is happy to have got two games, semifinal and final, before pulling the curtains down on his illustrious career. He also spoke about the effort he had put in to save crucial goals by Great Britain in the penalty shootout.
"(It is a) daily job of a goalie. Some days it’s a different effort (but) today is our day. Even in the shootout, the guys who took shots didn’t disappoint,” Sreejesh told the broadcaster after thrilling quarterfinal win.
"They scored and that gave me enough confidence.
"When I stepped on this field today, there were two options for me. This can be my last match, or I got an opportunity for two more matches and I think, yeah, I got two more matches now,” he added.
PR Sreejesh saved third and fourth goal of Great Britain to help India secure their place in the semifinal. India are likely to face Spain or Belgium in the semifinal.
