Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay congratulated Tamil Nadu’s skaters on their medals at the World Skate Games 2026 in Asunción, Paraguay — Anandkumar Velkumar won gold in the senior men’s 42-km marathon, silver in the 1,000 m and bronze in the 500 m, and juniors Lakshita, Pragathi and Rutva won relay bronze.
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay congratulated Tamil Nadu’s skaters on their medals at the World Skate Games 2026 in Asunción, Paraguay — Anandkumar Velkumar won gold in the senior men’s 42-km marathon, silver in the 1,000 m and bronze in the 500 m, and juniors Lakshita, Pragathi and Rutva won relay bronze.
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, congratulated Tamil Nadu’s speed skaters on their medal-winning performances at the World Skate Games 2026 in Asunción, Paraguay. He said their success would inspire more young people in the state to take up sport and excel.
| Skater | Event | Medal |
|---|---|---|
| Anandkumar Velkumar | Senior men’s marathon (42 km) | 🥇 Gold |
| Anandkumar Velkumar | Senior men’s 1,000 m sprint | 🥈 Silver |
| Anandkumar Velkumar | Senior men’s 500 m sprint | 🥉 Bronze |
| Lakshita, Pragathi and Rutva | Junior women’s 3,000 m relay | 🥉 Bronze |
Anandkumar’s 1,000 m silver was decided by the narrowest of margins: he clocked 1:21.922, just 4 milliseconds behind the winner. He then won the 42-km marathon — successfully repeating the marathon world title he won in 2025, and showing rare range across sprint and endurance events.
Roller and speed skating has a strong base in Tamil Nadu, with clubs in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tiruchy. Medals for both a senior star and a junior relay team show the sport has depth, and the Chief Minister’s message is a boost for the young skaters coming up behind them.
Sports World Skate Games Anandkumar Velkumar Speed Skating Tamil Nadu Athletes Day 164