Anandkumar Velkumar wins historic bronze at Speed Skating World Championships

Anandkumar Velkumar etched his name into Indian sporting history by winning a bronze medal in the 500m+D sprint at the Speed Skating World Championships, becoming the country’s first-ever senior medallist at the prestigious event, on Sunday.

His bronze medal marks a breakthrough for India in a sport traditionally dominated by European and East Asian nations.

This achievement comes just weeks after Velkumar scripted another landmark moment in Chengdu, China, where he captured bronze in the inline speed skating track 1000m sprint at the World Games. His timing of 1:22.482s gave India its first-ever medal at the competition.

Velkumar’s steady rise in international skating is not new. Back in 2021, he earned recognition by winning a silver medal at the Junior World Championships, setting the tone for India’s progress in a sport traditionally dominated by European and Latin American athletes.

With two historic bronze medals in the space of a month and a strong record of international performances, Velkumar’s success highlights India’s growing presence in global speed skating and signals a promising future for the sport in the country.