Chased this dream for 15 years: Anandkumar on becoming India's first speed-skating champ

Every athlete aims for medals, but having one’s name etched in history books is a rarer feat. And this is what makes Anandkumar Velkumar’s gold medal at the ongoing Speed Skating World Championships 2025 (in China's Beidaihe) so special.

- Karan Sethi

On Monday, the 22-year-old became India’s first-ever speed skating world champion with a record time of 1:24.924. Just days prior, Anandkumar had created history by winning India’s first senior world championship medal: a bronze in the 500m sprint with a time of 43.072 seconds. “When I was on the podium with the gold medal around my neck, it felt like the hard work, passion and endless training had all paid off,” the skater tells us with elation. “This has been a dream that I've been chasing for the last 15 years, and I can't put this feeling into words. I spoke to my mum soon