India’s Anandkumar Velkumar has etched his name in history by winning a bronze medal in the men’s 1000m inline speed skating sprint at the World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China. This is India’s first-ever medal in roller sports at the prestigious event.
Velkumar clocked 1:22.482, narrowly edging out Switzerland’s Livio Wenger by just 0.1 seconds. A penalty to Colombian skater Juan Sebastian Guzman altered the standings, allowing the Indian star to seal his place on the podium.
This achievement not only highlights Velkumar’s rising stature in world skating but also contributed to India’s best-ever medal haul at the World Games, with three medals overall.
🏆 Career Highlights
2021: First Indian to win a medal at the Speed Skating World Championships (Silver in Junior Men’s 15km).
2022 Asian Games (2023): Bronze in the 3000m relay with the Indian team.
2025 World Games: Bronze in the 1000m sprint, marking a historic first for India.
Born in Tamil Nadu and currently pursuing Computer Science at the College of Engineering, Guindy, Velkumar has been steadily climbing the international ranks. His feat has earned praise from the Indian Olympic Association and the Ministry of Sports, with many hailing it as a turning point for roller sports in India.
