Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged Team India’s Paris 2024 Olympics contingent to prioritize proper sleep for optimal performance and to observe the infrastructure in Paris to inform India’s bid for the 2036 Olympics.
In a motivational interaction with the athletes at his residence, with some joining via video conferencing, including Olympic medalists PV Sindhu, Lovlina Borgohain, and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, PM Modi emphasized the importance of sleep.
“Practice and consistency are important. But just as important is sleep. The lack of sleep harms one a lot. I advise you to get a good amount of sleep. Medical science today focuses heavily on sleep duration and how sound it is,” said PM Modi.
The Prime Minister expressed the government’s intent to highlight the 2024 Olympic stars during the Independence Day celebrations on August 15, so the nation can recognize their talent and achievements.
“Playing in the Olympics is a big deal. What you do on the field during the event just adds to it,” he added.
PM Modi conveyed his confidence in the athletes’ ability to deliver record-breaking performances and highlighted the significant opportunity they have to make their country proud.
“We are trying to place a bid for hosting the 2036 Olympics and aim to host it. The preparations regarding infrastructure are ongoing. I urge you all to observe the infrastructure in place in Paris–what was there and what was not–because these insights and experiences will help us a lot in the future as we aim to host the Olympics,” he added.
The Prime Minister encouraged the athletes to play without pressure and give their 100 percent, reminding them that the games are about talent, not status.
“You should trust your talent. No matter how big and better your opponent looks, you should focus on your talent since it gives you results,” he added.
Indian men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh expressed hope that Team India will surpass their bronze medal performance from Tokyo 2020, India’s first hockey medal in over 40 years.
“Last time we won a bronze, it was a proud moment. Our nation has a rich history in Hockey. We stay at SAI (Sports Authority of India) Bengaluru, which has excellent facilities for recovery, sleep, nutrition, etc. We are working very hard, and the team is strong,” he said.
During the interaction, PM Modi also spoke with athletes like Sift Kaur Samra and Manu Bhaker, who have benefited from government initiatives like Khelo India and the Target Olympics Podium Scheme (TOPS).
Team India will compete in the multi-sport extravaganza from July 26 to August 11, aiming to surpass their seven-medal tally from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which included one gold, two silver, and four bronze medals.
