'Greatest moment': Nation celebrates as men's hockey team makes it to Olympics semi-final after 4 decades

Tokyo/New Delhi | Jagran Sports Desk: After an opening-day silver medal from Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, it took over a week for an iconic Sunday to rise for Indian contingent in Tokyo Olympics with PV Sindhu’s Bronze medal win and Men’s Hockey team’s iconic storming into Olympics Hockey semi-finals. As the 3-1 victory over Great Britain booked the semi-final spot for Indian Men’s Hockey, 41 years after it last won the Gold in 1980 Moscow Games, celebratory messages started pouring in for Manpreet Singh’s men in blue on the field.

Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur took to Twitter to congratulate the Team India for its quarter-final win in Tokyo Olympics.

After over 40 years #hockeyindia in @Olympics semifinal.

Congratulations #TeamIndia now #GoForGold #Olympics #IndiaAtTokyo2020

— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) August 1, 2021

India 🇮🇳 dribbles & dashes it’s way into the Semi-Finals!

Brilliant performance by Mens Hockey team #Tokyo2020 !

| @TheHockeyIndia | pic.twitter.com/hm18rtIquS

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) August 1, 2021

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, under whose leadership state capital Bhubaneswar hosted the last Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2018, also took to the micro blogging site to congratulate Team India on making to the semi-finals of Tokyo Olympics.

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Well played!

Congratulate Indian Men’s #Hockey Team on registering a stunning victory in the quarter-final against Great Britain at #Tokyo2020. May the team continue its momentum & bring much awaited medal for the country. Wish the team all the best.#Cheer4India @thehockeyindia pic.twitter.com/9eBkrlyxY1

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) August 1, 2021

Also read - Tokyo Olympics 2020: India beat Great Britain 3-1 to enter men's hockey semi-finals in Olympics after 49 years

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh also took to Twitter to congratulate the Team India on its ‘stellar performance’ and making it to Olympic top 4 after 41 years. “Happy to note that all 3 goals were scored by Punjab players Dilpreet Singh, Gurjant Singh & Hardik Singh. Congratulations…go for Gold!,” Punjab Chief Minister, whose government has already announced Rs 2.25 crore each for state's hockey players on winning gold, reckoned on Twitter.

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Stellar performance by the Indian Men’s Hockey team at #TokyoOlympics to beat Great Britain by 3-1 & entering Olympic top 4 after 41 years. Happy to note that all 3 goals were scored by Punjab players Dilpreet Singh, Gurjant Singh & Hardik Singh. Congratulations…go for Gold! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/MgQiLFOf8K

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) August 1, 2021

Viren Rasquinha, the former Indian Hockey team captain, called it the ‘greatest moment for Indian Hockey since the 1980 Gold medal at the Moscow Olympics’. “I am just so proud of the team. Congrats boys. I have tears of joy in my eyes. Thank you for what you guys are doing at Tokyo,” Rasquinha added.

Greatest moment for Indian Hockey since the 1980 Gold medal at the Moscow Olympics. I am just so proud of the team. Congrats boys. I have tears of joy in my eyes. Thank you for what you guys are doing at Tokyo 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳

— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) August 1, 2021

India will next meet reigning World Champion Belgium in semi-finals on August 3.