Indian sports witnessed a historic milestone today as Anandkumar Velkumar clinched the Gold Medal in the Senior Men’s 1,000m Sprint event at the World Speed Skating Championships in China, making him the first Indian athlete to become a World Champion in the sport.
The 22-year-old speedster from Chennai put on a blistering performance, clocking a time of 1:24.924 to top the podium. His victory marks a massive breakthrough for Indian roller sports on the global stage, traditionally dominated by European and East Asian athletes.
Velkumar’s gold came just one day after he had already etched his name in the record books by winning a Bronze Medal in the 500m sprint, securing India’s first-ever senior medal at the World Championships.
Adding to the nation’s euphoria, young skater Krish Sharma also bagged the Gold Medal in the Junior Men’s 1,000m Sprint, completing a remarkable ‘double golden’ triumph for India in the event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior ministers have hailed the achievement, recognizing Velkumar’s “grit, speed and spirit” as a powerful inspiration for the country’s youth. Velkumar, a Computer Science student, has consistently represented India, previously winning a silver at the Junior World Championships and a bronze at the 2023 Asian Games. His historic performance at the World Championships signals a major turning point for the future of Indian speed skating.
