India created sporting history at the 2025 Speed Skating World Championships in Beidaihe, China, by securing two gold medals for the first time ever in the event. In a groundbreaking achievement, 22-year-old Anandkumar Velkumar from Tamil Nadu clinched the nation’s maiden senior world title in the men’s 1000m sprint, finishing with a time of 1:24.924. This victory came just days after he earned a historic bronze in the 500m sprint, marking India’s first senior medal at the championships.
Velkumar’s triumph in the senior category was complemented by Krish Sharma’s gold in the junior men’s 1000m sprint, completing a remarkable double for the country. The event, held under the auspices of World Skate, highlighted India’s rising prowess in inline speed skating, a discipline traditionally dominated by European, Latin American, and East Asian nations.
Trained at the Sathya Speed Skating Academy and supported by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), he has a string of accolades: a silver in the 15km elimination at the 2021 Junior World Championships, a bronze in the 3000m team relay at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, and a bronze in the 1000m sprint at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu—India’s first medal in roller sports there. His sister, Subi Suvetha Velkumar, is also a national-level skater.
