Canadian race walker Evan Dunfee is now a world champion. The Richmond, B.C. native took gold in the men’s 35km race walk at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Saturday morning.Richmond, B.C., native crosses the line in 2:28:22 at Tokyo’s National StadiumThe Canadian Press · Posted: Sep 12, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoGold medallist Evan Dunfee of Team Canada reacts after winning the men’s 35km race walk at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 at National Stadium on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)Canadian team stalwart Evan Dunfee told local media on Thursday he was hoping to create a race walk to remember at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.Mission accomplished.The 34-year-old Dunfee, of Richmond, B.C. — competing in his seventh world championships — struck gold Friday in the men’s 35-kilometre race walk, reeling in the top five walkers over the final eight kilometres.Dunfee finished the race in two hours, 28 minutes and 22 seconds, which was 33 seconds ahead of runner-up Caio BonfimWATCH | Dunfee captures gold at opening event of World Athletics Championships: Canada’s Evan Dunfee captures 35km race walk gold in opening event at athletics worldsEvan Dunfee of Richmond, B.C., wins the men’s 35-kilometre race walk final with a time of 2:28.22 at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.”My coach and I have been together since I was 10 years old and then we set down and set goals to become world champions and to set the world record. We managed to do both this year and it really is a dream come true,” Dunfee said after the race. “I am turning 35 this year but I just feel like I am getting better and better. I was just patient today. I was really struggling and I was thinking that maybe the gold was not going to happen today.”The last two kilometres felt like the hardest ones I have ever done. I had to channel all my strength for all the people back home, the ones who supported me. I was just thinking, ‘one more step’ and it paid off.”WATCH | Evan Dunfee reflects on the journey to make his ‘dream come true’: Evan Dunfee reflects on the journey to make his ‘dream come true’Evan Dunfee of Richmond, B.C., discusses winning the men’s 35-kilometre race walk world title.Dunfee earned bronze in the 50K walk at the world championships in 2019 and at the Olympics in Tokyo, Canada’s first-ever Olympic medal in the event. He later claimed gold in the 10K walk at the Commonwealth Games in 2022.Dunfee placed fifth in the 20K walk, now the only distance contested at the Olympics, at the Paris Games last year.Olivia Lundman of Nanaimo, B.C., failed to finish the women’s 35-kilometre race walk. The 22-year-old was disqualified at the eight-kilometre mark. Maria Perez of Spain won in 2:29:45WATCH | Aaron Brown & Perdita Felicien give their podium predictions for Tokyo 2025: Aaron Brown, Perdita Felicien give their podium predictions for Tokyo 2025The Trackside hosts pick their podium favourites for some of the biggest matchups heading into the world athletics championships in Tokyo. With files from CBC Sports
Richmond, B.C., race walker Evan Dunfee wins gold at world championships
