Anand Velkumar Wins World Skate Games Marathon Gold

Anand Velkumar won the inline speed skating marathon gold medal at the World Skate Games in Asunción, Paraguay, securing the title with a decisive surge on the home stretch.

The marathon victory was Velkumar’s third medal of the competition. He had already earned silver in the 1000m sprint and bronze in the 500m sprint, completing India’s senior medal return at this edition of the World Skate Games.

Velkumar was India’s only medallist in the senior competition, with the country finishing its campaign with one gold, one silver and one bronze medal. His marathon success therefore delivered both the top podium finish and the final piece of India’s three-medal tally.

Third medal caps World Skate Games campaign

The gold in Asunción added another major result to a competition in which Velkumar featured across sprint and endurance disciplines. His silver in the 1000m sprint and bronze in the 500m sprint came before he claimed the marathon crown on Sunday.

In the marathon, Velkumar made his move on the home stretch to secure first place. The result gave him his first gold medal of the World Skate Games competition and underlined his ability to add a marathon win to his two sprint medals at the same event.

Inline speed skating uses specialised inline skates built for speed events. The discipline places a premium on core strength and endurance, particularly over marathon distance, while the World Skate Games programme also gave Velkumar opportunities in the 500m and 1000m sprints.

His performance in Paraguay continued a run of medal-winning appearances at major international championships. The source reported that Velkumar has collected a combined eight medals across the World Games, World Championships and World Skate Games over the past three years.

The marathon result also carried added significance because Velkumar arrived as the reigning marathon world champion. He first gained wider recognition after winning the world championship in the same event last year, becoming the first Indian world champion in inline speed skating.

A landmark run for Indian inline speed skating

Velkumar’s international progress began on the junior circuit. Five years ago, he became the first Indian to win a medal at the World Junior Championships when he took silver in the 15km elimination event.

That junior breakthrough has been followed by a sustained series of results at senior level. The World Skate Games marathon title in Asunción now sits alongside his 1000m sprint silver and 500m sprint bronze from the same competition, illustrating his medal-winning range across the programme.

For India, the senior medal tally was entirely shaped by Velkumar’s three podium finishes. His gold, silver and bronze accounted for all of the country’s medals at this edition, while the marathon victory supplied the standout finish.

Velkumar leaves the World Skate Games with three medals and another marathon title to his name. The result extends his record at major events and adds a fresh gold medal to a competition in which he was India’s sole senior medallist.