Anirudhan Vinod, 16, wins World Skate Games gold as India finish one-two

Sixteen-year-old Indian speed skater Anirudhan Vinod won the gold medal in the junior men's one-lap road race at the World Skate Games 2026 in Asunción, Paraguay, finishing in 30.394 seconds, according to reports published on 17-18 October 2026. His India teammate Lohnath Arun Prasath took silver in 30.419 seconds, just 0.025 seconds behind, giving India a one-two finish in the event. Earlier at the same Games, Anirudhan had also won silver in the junior men's 200m dual time trial.

Speed skating on roller skates gets far less attention in India than cricket or athletics, but the World Skate Games are the sport's main world event, run by World Skate, its international federation. A gold and a silver in the same junior race, decided by a fraction of a second, is a sign that a small group of young Indian skaters can now compete with the best of their age in the world.

The margins show how fine the sport is. In the one-lap race, the gap between gold and silver was 0.025 seconds, less than the blink of an eye. In the 200m time trial, Anirudhan missed gold by 0.043 seconds. At this level, start technique, body position in corners and equipment can decide the result, which is why skaters train for years on specific tracks.

The medals were part of a wider set of results for India's juniors at these Games. India's junior women's 3,000m relay team of Rutva, Pragathi, Charita and Lakshita won bronze, which reports described as the first medal for an Indian girls' relay team at a world championship. Anirudhan's 200m silver was also described as India's first world championship medal in that sprint discipline.

For young athletes, the results matter as a pathway. Junior world medals bring attention from sports authorities and sponsors, and can help skaters find support for coaching, travel and equipment.

What young skaters should do next: if you want to try speed skating, look for a skating club or coach recognised by your state association, and ask how to enter official competitions, which are the route to national selection.

Short-term: The two Indian skaters return home as junior world medallists, which is likely to bring recognition from their states and the sport's national body.

Long-term: The step from junior to senior racing is large, as senior fields are faster and deeper, so the next few seasons will show how far these skaters can go. If they keep progressing, they could become India's leading senior speed skaters, and their results may help the sport win more funding and facilities in India.

Who is affected: Anirudhan Vinod, Lohnath Arun Prasath and their coaches; India's roller skating federation and state associations; and young skaters across India who now have role models in the sport.

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