Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Felicitates India’s Historic Medal Winners at Speed Skating World Championships 2025

Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday felicitated India’s medal-winning contingent from the 73rd Inline Speed Skating World Championships 2025, held in Beidaihe, China from September 13–21.

The Indian team scripted history with its best-ever performance, securing five medals — three Gold and two Bronze — and finishing 5th overall among 40+ participating nations.

This remarkable campaign marked several firsts for India:

• The first-ever Senior medal at a Speed Skating World Championship.
• The first-ever Junior Gold in the competition.
• The highest medal tally for India at the global stage.

Star performances included:

• Anandkumar Velkumar (22): Made history by winning two Senior Gold medals in the 1000m Sprint and 42,195m Marathon, along with a Bronze in the 500m Sprint.
• Krish Sharma (18): Clinched India’s maiden Junior Gold in the 1000m Sprint.
• Anish Raj (17): Earned a Bronze in the Junior Men’s One Lap Sprint.

Felicitating the athletes, Dr. Mandaviya said, “These historic medals at the World Championships show that our youth are conquering new frontiers, be it in mainstream or emerging sports. I wholeheartedly congratulate our athletes, coaches, support staff, and the Roller-Skating Federation of India for bringing glory to Bharat with this remarkable performance.”

The Indian contingent of 20 athletes — including Senior and Junior men and women — competed across 42 events in the championship, which witnessed participation from more than 40 countries.

India’s record-breaking feat is being hailed as a watershed moment for speed skating in the country, raising hopes for further growth in the sport on the international stage.