Harmanpreet Singh Named FIH Player Of The Year, PR Sreejesh Gets Best Goalkeeper Award

Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh has been named Player of the Year 2024 while retired goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was awarded Goalkeeper of the Year accolade during the gala night of the 49th FIH Statutory Congress in Oman on Friday. The winners were declared following a vote by an Expert Panel, National Associations - represented by their respective national teams' captains and coaches - fans and media. Harmanpreet Singh was the standout player amongst the men's nominees, receiving the most votes across all categories of voters.

Much like Yibbi Jansen in the women's competition, Indian captain Harmanpreet led the scoring charts at the Paris 2024 Olympics with 10 goals including goals in the quarterfinal, semi-final and both goals in the bronze medal match against Spain, which India won 2-1 to secure their second consecutive podium finish at the Olympics.

Harmanpreet was also a crucial cog in the Indian team that had broken their 41-year podium drought at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. He has previously won the FIH Player of the Year award on two occasions in 2020-21 and in 2021-22. The third one might just be the most precious one however, given it's been won while leading his country for the first time, after taking over captaincy in 2023, and leading his team to an Olympic medal in his first attempt!

Speaking about the celebrations back home after he captained his side to a second consecutive medal at the Olympics, Harmanpreet said: "First off, I would like to thank FIH for this great honour. After the Olympics it was so great to go back home and have such huge crowds there to greet us and welcome us. It was a very very special feeling. I would like to mention my teammates, none of this would have been