World Skate Games: Anand Velkumar wins inline speed skating marathon gold medal

Anand Velkumar continued his strong international form by claiming his first gold medal at the World Skate Games in Asunción, Paraguay, on Sunday.

The reigning marathon world champion secured the Inline Speed Skating Marathon title with a decisive surge on the home stretch. This marked his third medal of the competition, following silver in the 1000m sprint and bronze in the 500m sprint.

Velkumar first rose to prominence last year after winning the world championship in the same event, becoming the first Indian world champion in the sport.

An inline speed skate is a specialised version of the inline skate designed specifically for speed events, highlighting athletes’ core strength and endurance.

Anand has made a smooth transition from the junior circuit in this sport, as just five years ago, he became the first Indian to win a medal at the World Junior Championships, claiming silver in the 15km elimination event.

Since then, he has established himself as a consistent medalist at major championships, collecting a combined total of eight medals across the World Games, World Championships, and World Skate Games over the past three years.

India finished the senior medal tally at the World Skate Games with 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze medal, as Anand remains the only medalist at this edition.