Who Is Anandkumar Velkumar? First Indian Skater To Win Gold Medal At Speed Skating World Championships

Indian skater Anandkumar Velkumar grabbed the national headlines when he scripted history at the Speed Skating World Championships in Beidaihe, China, on Tuesday, September 16. Anandkumar became the first-ever Indian speed skater to clinch the gold medal at the World Championships, etching his name in history as a trailblazer for Indian skating.

The 22-year-old scripted history by topping the senior men's 1000-metre sprint with a timing of 1:24.924, securing India's first-ever gold on the global speed skating stage. Before clinching the historic gold, Anandkumar Velkumar became the first Indian speed skater to win a World Championships medal, securing bronze in the 500-metre event, with a timing of 43.072 seconds.

IT'S HISTORY GETTING CREATED FOLKS INDIA'S ANANDKUMAR VELKUMAR IS THE WORLD SPEED SKATING CHAMPION 2025! He becomes First Ever India to win the GOLD Medal in 1000m Sprint at World C'ship IT SHOULD BE HEADLINE OF INDIAN SPORT! twitter/fvDy5OU3FF

- The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) September 15, 2025

Anandkumar Velkumar's historic gold medal at the Speed Skating World Championships marks a landmark achievement for Indian sports and a breakthrough moment for the country in winter and roller sports.

Who is Anandkumar Velkumar?

Anandkumar Velkumar has attracted the attention of the Indian sports fraternity and community, becoming a symbol of India's rising presence in international speed skating. The 22-year-old skater hails from Tamil Nadu and is currently studying a Bachelor of Science (BSc) at the College of Engineering, Guindy.

Velkumar has witnessed a meteoric rise in the World Skating over the last few years. His first breakthrough moment on the world stage came when he clinched a silver medal in the 15km elimination at the Junior World Championships in 2021. This was India's first-ever medal at any level of the World Championships.

Two years later, at the 2023 Asian Games, Anandkumar Velkumar won the bronze medal in the Men's 300m relay, alongside Siddhant Kamble and Vikram Ingale, further paving the way for his rise in the skating world.

HISTORY CREATED LADIES & GENTLEMEN... presenting India's FIRST-EVER WORLD CHAMPIONS in Speed Skating ⛸️✨ Anandkumar Velkumar – Sr Men 1,000m Sprint⚡ Krish Sharma – Jr Men 1,000m SprintA golden chapter for Indian sports! twitter/posBKXGne3

- SPORTS ARENA (@SportsArena1234) September 15, 2025

Earlier this year, Tamil Nadu skater etched his name in history at the World Games in Chengdu, winning the Bronze medal in the 1000-metre sprint, becoming the first-ever Indian speed skater to win a medal at the Games. Anandkumar Velkumar further scripted history at the Speed Skating World Championships with a historic gold medal, solidifying his status as India's trailblazer in international speed skating.

With a historic double-medal at the Speed Skating World Championships, Anandkumar Velkumar has firmly placed India on the global speed skating map.

PM Modi lauds Anandkumar for scripting history

Anandkumar Velkumar's historic achievement at the Speed Skating World Championships did not go unnoticed as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Tamil Nadu speed skater for his outstanding performance.

Taking to his official X handle (formerly Twitter), PM Modi lauded Anandkumar's grit and spirit to script history at the World Championships, adding that his achievements will inspire countless youngsters in the sport.

“Proud of Anandkumar Velkumar for winning the gold medal at the Senior Men's 1000m Sprint in the Speed Skating World Championships 2025. His grit, speed, and spirit have made him India's first World Champion in skating. His accomplishment will inspire countless youngsters. Congratulations to him and best wishes for all future endeavours.” PM Modi wrote on X.

Proud of Anandkumar Velkumar for winning the Gold at the Senior Men's 1000m Sprint in the Speed Skating World Championships 2025. His grit, speed and spirit have made him India's first World Champion in skating. His accomplishment will inspire countless youngsters.... twitter/uewup1bGir

- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 16, 2025

Anandkumar Velkumar's historic achievement at the Speed Skating World Championships marks a defining moment for Indian sports and establishes him as the nation's first global skating champion.

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