His family chose to inform him only later, and he then rushed back home to Ernakulam, met his father in hospital and returned last evening to Bhubaneswar
India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh with his father Raveendran
If India's veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, 30, needed any more motivation to excel under the bar for the nation at this World Cup, he just got it. Not that he would've wanted it this way, though.
Sreejesh's father Raveendran, who suffered a heart attack last year, was admitted to a Kochi hospital on Saturday, hours before Sreejesh took to the Kalinga turf here to face World No. 3 Belgium in a league match. His family chose to inform him only later, and he then rushed back home to Ernakulam, met his father in hospital and returned last evening to Bhubaneswar.
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Given the five-day gap between the Belgium and Canada fixtures (December 8), Hockey India permitted Sreejesh to return home briefly, for which he is extremely grateful. "My dad underwent surgery and is now fine. In fact, he insisted I get back to Bhubaneswar to continue my duty at the World Cup," Sreejesh told mid-day on landing at the Biju Patnaik Airport here on his return from Kerala last evening. His father was successfully operated upon and Sreejesh said that this will now serve as extra motivation for him to do well at the quadrennial competition.
"My dad normally watches all my matches but missed the Belgium game. There are different ways to get motivated and this is how I will gain extra motivation, knowing dad is there at home to watch my matches now. I want to do well for my dad now," Sreejesh signed off.
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