Anandkumar Velkumar bags gold in 42km marathon at world speed skating championships in China

By  News On Air   Sep 22, 2025

India’s Anandkumar Velkumar clinched gold in the men’s 42km marathon and made history at the 2025 World Speed Skating Championships in China. he won two golds and a bronze. It is his third medal at the ongoing event. The 22-year-old Anandkumar became India’s first-ever speed skating world champion just days after taking gold in the 1000m with a record time of 1:24.92 and bronze in the 500m sprint.  

Velkumar’s journey began on a cement badminton court near his home, with humble beginnings that fueled a 15-year dream. His international breakthrough came in 2021 with a silver at the Junior World Championships a first for India followed by a bronze at the World Games earlier this year.

With this landmark performance, Velkumar has firmly placed Indian speed skating on the global map.