Kerala CM hails hockey team's bronze win as historic

Vijayan praised Keralite goalkeeper P R Sreejesh and other team members

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday hailed the Indian men's hockey team's bronze medal in Tokyo Olympics as "historic" and said they have made every Indian proud.

"Congratulations to Indian men's hockey team for their historic victory," he tweeted.

Lavishing praise on Keralite goalkeeper P R Sreejesh and other team members, the Chief Minister said he has displayed inimitable leadership and the entire team has fought with remarkable fighting spirit.

"By winning the bronze medal, you have made every Indian proud," he added.

The Indian men's hockey team rewrote history as it claimed an Olympic medal after 41 years, beating a plucky Germany 5-4 to claim the bronze in an edge-of-the-seat play- off match of the ongoing Games in Tokyo on Thursday.

The eight-time gold winners, who battled a heartbreaking slump in the last four decades, made the resurgence of the last couple of years count in the best way possible with an Olympic medal.