Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh shine on the FIH Awards 2024, with Harmanpreet named Participant of the 12 months and Sreejesh profitable Goalkeeper of the 12 months.
In recognition of worldwide hockey expertise, Harmanpreet Singh of India, Yibbi Jansen of the Netherlands, and legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh have been honoured on the forty ninth FIH Statutory Congress in Oman.
Harmanpreet and Jansen have been named the FIH Gamers of the 12 months 2024, whereas PR Sreejesh gained the FIH Goalkeeper of the 12 months award, including to India’s proud legacy within the sport. The celebrated awards have been introduced following a vote by an knowledgeable panel, nationwide associations, followers, and media.
Harmanpreet Singh’s management and brilliance
Indian captain largely generally known as the “Sarpanch Saab”, Harmanpreet Singh earned the FIH Males’s Participant of the 12 months award, receiving essentially the most votes throughout all classes. Singh performed an important function in India’s profitable Olympic marketing campaign at Paris 2024, scoring 10 targets, together with key strikes within the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the bronze medal match towards Spain. This win marked India’s second consecutive Olympic medal, following their historic podium end on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
“I’m deeply honoured to obtain this award. The celebrations again dwelling after the Olympics have been overwhelming, and I couldn’t have executed it with out my teammates and the assist of Hockey India. This award feels additional particular as I’m sharing this second with my spouse and daughter,” stated Harmanpreet throughout his acceptance speech.
PR Sreejesh’s goalkeeping excellence
Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was awarded the FIH Goalkeeper of the 12 months, cementing his standing as one of many world’s greatest within the place. His good saves and management within the purpose have been essential to India’s historic performances, significantly within the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics. He introduced his retirement from the game, proper after profitable the bronze within the 2024 Paris Olympics.
After profitable the award, Sreejesh stated, “I’m so pleased at the moment. Thanks for this final taking part in honour of my taking part in profession. As most individuals know, Paris 2024 was the final event I performed for my nation and I simply need to thank Hockey India for all of the assist and steerage supplied over all of the years I’ve performed the game. This award fully belongs to my group, the defence who made positive most assaults by no means bought to me, and the midfielders and forwards who lined up my errors by scoring extra targets than I conceded.”
Yibbi Jansen’s golden efficiency for the Netherlands
Dutch ahead Yibbi Jansen was topped FIH Girls’s Participant of the 12 months after main the Netherlands to a gold medal on the Paris 2024 Olympics. Scoring 9 targets, together with an important equaliser within the closing with simply 10 minutes to go, Jansen’s efficiency was essential to her group’s victory. At simply 24 years previous, she continues to impress as one of many sport’s brightest abilities.
Reflecting on her win, Jansen shared, “Successful the Olympic gold was a dream come true. It was an intense match, and with 10 minutes left, we have been behind. However we had unwavering perception in one another, and I’m so grateful to my teammates for his or her assist.”
Different main awards
The FIH Rising Star awards have been claimed by Zoe Díaz of Argentina and Sufyan Khan of Pakistan, each of whom have proven immense promise of their early careers.
Within the teaching class, Alyson Annan (Australia) was awarded FIH Girls’s Coach of the 12 months for the second consecutive yr after main China to a dominant efficiency, whereas Jeroen Delmee (Netherlands) claimed the Males’s Coach of the 12 months award for his function in guiding his group to success.
The FIH Umpire of the 12 months awards went to Sarah Wilson of Scotland within the girls’s class and Steve Rogers of Australia within the males’s, recognising their excellent officiating in worldwide competitions.
A second of pleasure for India
For India, Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh’s recognition on the FIH Awards 2024 provides one other feather to the cap of Indian hockey. These accolades are a testomony to the arduous work, management, and brilliance of the Indian group, making it a proud second for Indian sports activities on the worldwide stage.
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