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.
Marking a historic milestone for Indian skating, the team delivered its best-ever performance, winning five medals — three Gold and two Bronze — and securing an impressive 5th place overall among more than 40 participating nations.
This edition was packed with firsts for India:
First-ever Senior medal at a Speed Skating World Championship
First-ever Junior Gold medal
Highest-ever medal tally for India at the Worlds
Star performances came from:
Anandkumar Velkumar (22) – Made history by becoming the first Indian to win a Senior medal, clinching two Golds (1000m Sprint & 42,195m Marathon) and a Bronze (500m Sprint).
Krish Sharma (18) – Secured India’s first Junior Gold in the 1000m Sprint.
Anish Raj (17) – Won Bronze in the Junior Men’s One Lap Sprint.
Praising the contingent, Dr. Mandaviya said, “These historic medals show that our youth are conquering new frontiers, be it in mainstream or emerging sports. I congratulate our athletes, coaches, support staff, and the Roller-Skating Federation of India for bringing glory to Bharat.”
The championship witnessed 42 events across Senior and Junior categories with participation from over 40 countries, where India’s 20-member squad (four Senior Men, four Senior Women, five Junior Men, seven Junior Women) made the nation proud.
