PR Sreejesh and Manu Bhaker will be India’s flagbearers during the closing ceremony of Paris 2024 Olympics on August 11.
Goalkeeper Sreejesh retired from hockey after Indian men’s hockey team ended its campaign in the French capital with a bronze medal after beating Spain 2-1 on Wednesday.
The 36-year-old Sreejesh was also a member of the squad which clinched bronze medal in Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is delighted to announce the nomination of hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh as the joint flagbearer with pistol shooter Manu Bhaker at the Closing Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” said IOA in an official statement.
IOA President Dr 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,” she said.
Dr. 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’.
Manu’s name had been announced a few days ago. She 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).
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