NEW DELHI: Double Olympic medallist PR Sreejesh emphasised the significance of grassroots investment and talent scouting to enhance India’s future in sports.
Sreejesh, who retired after contributing to India’s consecutive Olympic bronze medal at the Paris Games, highlighted the importance of exposure and mental preparation for athletes aiming for success at the Olympics.
“Exposure is the key. Getting into the world level and performing from there is the dream,” Sreejesh said. “What makes the Olympics unique is the mental pressure. Preparing athletes to be equipped to perform at that level is most important.”
He pointed out the shift in perspective for young athletes, who now have tangible examples of Indian achievements on the global stage, boosting their confidence in their potential for success.
“When we started playing, we always heard about the history of the sport. Now, we can realistically show young kids that we can achieve at the global stage. When I work with U21 players at Hockey India, I want them to believe that they too can achieve success,” he added.
Sreejesh identified a gap in talent identification at the grassroots level, advocating for increased investment in young talent, particularly those between the ages of 12-14, to prepare for future Olympic Games, including the 2036 Olympics.
“We have room to improve in talent identification. At the nursery level, at grassroots, there’s a lot to work on. That’s where the investment needs to go in,” he said. “If we are speaking about the 2036 Olympics, now is when we need to tap into the talent between the age groups of 12-14 years.”
He also stressed the need for a broader sports culture in India, beyond just winning medals, to promote overall health and well-being.
“We need to introduce sports culture into our system. That’s important, not just to win medals but for overall health and well-being. The younger generation is very focused on medals, which is great, but we also need to build a foundation that sustains their journey in sports,” he remarked.