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The Indian contingent that made history at the recently concluded Speed Skating World Championships in China returned to a warm welcome at the Delhi Airport on Tuesday. The team bagged a record-breaking total of three gold medals and two bronze, marking India's most successful outing at the global event to date.
Senior skater Anandkumar Velkumar led the charge with a sensational performance, becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World Championships in the senior men's 1,000 m sprint, clocking a time of 1:24.924. He followed up with another gold in the men's marathon event, and also secured a bronze medal in the 500 m sprint, bringing his personal tally to three medals at the event. According to the official website of World Skate, the global governing body for roller sports, Anandkumar's achievements mark a historic milestone for India in a sport traditionally dominated by European and East Asian countries. India's medal count was further boosted by the junior athletes. Krish Sharma struck gold in the junior men's 1,000 m sprint, while Anish Raj claimed a bronze in the junior men's one-lap sprint event, taking the overall tally to three golds and two bronze medals. The championships were held from September 13 to 21 in China. Tulsi Ram Agarwal, President of the Roller Skating Federation of India, hailed the contingent's performance and said, "It is our immense pleasure that we have been able to bridge the Chinese wall, the forte and domain of Western countries in the field of speed skating by winning three golds and two bronze." Anandkumar, the man with three medals, told ANI, "I recently won two gold medals at the world championship. Sir, I feel really great. And I think the whole team is very happy. Because it is the first time we won so many medals in the world championship." He added that the performance has motivated him to strive for more success in the future. Krish Sharma, who clinched gold at the junior level, expressed his joy and said it was a "dream come true". "I had been working really hard for this, so finally good to have achieved it," he added. Fellow junior medalist Anish Raj said, "I feel really good. And I think we will be able to take this sport further in this country. This sport will be at a very high level in the coming years. With the help of the federation, we will be able to win more medals." The performance has drawn praise from sports administrators and fans alike, as roller sports continue to gain traction in India. The historic medal tally is expected to boost the sport's profile and encourage increased grassroots participation in the years to come. (ANI)
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