“It feels really amazing. It was definitely a dream of mine, and I’m really grateful that I was able to become world champion."
These words from Anandkumar Velkumar capture the joy of a 22-year-old who has just etched his name in Indian sporting history. India’s newest world champion began his skating journey on a simple cement badminton court next to his home, never imagining that those early pushes on wheels would lead him to the pinnacle of speed skating glory.
Velkumar made history this week by becoming India’s first-ever world champion in speed skating, claiming gold in the 1000m at the World Championships in Beidaihe, China. And his achievement did not go unnoticed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to congratulate the young champion. “Considering that skating is not an Olympic sport, you know, we never received such recognition from the Prime Minister," he reflects. “I think it feels really amazing to know that the sport is finally getting the sort of recognition that it deserves, be it the Prime Minister or a lot of the government officials. I think it’s really great."
The Prime Minister’s message calling his achievement inspirational has added a new dimension to Velkumar’s success. Rather than feeling burdened by expectations, he embraces the opportunity to inspire. “No, I don’t feel the pressure, but I feel happy that I get to inspire a lot of young skaters in India."
“I started skating because my sister used to skate," Velkumar recalls with a smile. “I started skating next to my home. There was a cement badminton court, and that’s where I started skating."
From those modest beginnings on concrete, the young athlete gradually worked his way up through the ranks. Slowly, when I kept skating, I started competing at the district level, state level, and national level. And that’s how I started falling in love with the sport."
The turning point came early in his journey. “I think a major turning point was when I was 15 years old and I made the Indian team for the first time. I think that motivated me a lot."
His journey reached its crescendo this week in China, but even as he raced toward history, uncertainty lingered until the final moments. “I think I realised that I’m going to win only in the last half lap. Until then, I wasn’t really sure," Velkumar admits about his gold medal race.
When he finally crossed the finish line as world champion, the emotions were overwhelming. “Immediately after the line, it was just pure excitement and joy. I was really happy, and all my teammates were with me at that time were really happy."
The celebration continued when he called home to share the news with his family. “When I called home, my mom, dad, sister, and everyone were really happy. Like it’s hard to explain in words, but yeah, it was amazing."
While Velkumar stands alone atop the podium, he’s quick to acknowledge the support system that made his success possible. His coaching journey has been diverse, starting with Anna Raja on that cement court, then moving to ‘Satya Sir’ when he shifted to inline skating. His current setup includes gym trainers and a coach from Belgium.
“It takes a lot of people to support you to reach this level," he acknowledges gratefully.
Vellkumar hopes his gold medal begins to shift perceptions about what’s possible for Indian skaters. “I think this will inspire many skaters to aim higher because five years back, no one would even expect you to win a medal at the World Championships. And now we are winning gold, and I think in the future we’ll win a lot more medals."
Vellkumar’s breakthrough at the big stage came in 2021 when he won silver at the Junior World Championships, becoming the first Indian to secure a medal at that level. Earlier this year, he achieved another historic milestone by earning bronze at the World Games, once again, making him the first Indian skater to medal at the prestigious event.
At the ongoing World Championships in China, his journey to gold began with a bronze in the 500m sprint, setting the stage for his historic 1000m triumph just days later.
Despite achieving the sport’s highest honour, Velkumar’s hunger remains undiminished. “I still have two more races left here at the World Championships. And also I want to come back and win the 1000 meters again next year at the 2026 World Championships," he states with determination.
Looking ahead, he’s particularly excited about a potential home advantage: “Maybe the 2027 Asian Championships might be held in India. And hopefully if that happens, that’s something I really look forward to."
There’s also a bigger dream on the horizon. “I wish sports were included in the Olympics. You know, that’s definitely a dream of every athlete, and I hope it happens," he concludes.
