♦ India’s Anandkumar Velkumar clinched gold in the men’s 42km marathon and made history at the 2025 World Speed Skating Championships in China on 21 September 2025.

♦ He won two golds and a bronze. It is his third medal at the ongoing event.

♦ Anandkumar became India’s first-ever speed skating world champion just days after taking gold in the 1000m with a record time of 1:24.92 and bronze in the 500m sprint.  

♦ His international breakthrough came in 2021 with a silver at the Junior World Championships a first for India followed by a bronze at the World Games earlier this year (2025).