Fairytale finish for India’s wall PR Sreejesh

PARIS: He calls this space his home—the 17-by-12 feet rectangle between the posts and the turf in front. His life revolved around this space over two decades. Just before the game, PR Sreejesh went out onto the turf in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris. He spent some time in that happy space contemplating the life that has past and the future that lies in front. Nostalgic moments flashed by as he got ready to play the last match of his career. And it was a happy ending.

On Thursday at the Yves du Manoir Stadium in Colombes, Sreejesh entered a select group of hockey players to have won two consecutive medals for the country. India won 2-1 in the play-off. It ended with Sreejesh clearing the ball from the goal in the last seconds. The celebrations inside the stadium ensued. It went on and on and Sreejesh became the central figure. The wan who is walking into the sunset.