Invest in grassroots to excel big at 2036 Olympics, says PR Sreejesh

Double Olympic medallist PR Sreejesh on Friday stressed the need for grassroots investment and talent identification while outlining what India must do to build a stronger future at the sport's grandest stage.

The 36-year-old Sreejesh retired after playing a pivotal role in India's second successive Olympic bronze medal at the Paris Games last summer, bringing to an end a glorious career.

"Exposure is the key. Getting into the world level and performing from there is the dream," Sreejesh said during the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit here.

"What makes the Olympics unique is the mental pressure. Preparing athletes to be equipped to perform at that level is most important."  He noted that young athletes today have many examples of Indian success on the global stage, which can help them believe in their potential.

"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.

While India has depth at the national level, the legendary goalkeeper pointed out that the grassroots system still needs attention.

"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."  Beyond medals, Sreejesh called for a broader sports culture in India.

"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.