Evan Dunfee

{{short description|Canadian race walker and Olympian|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Evan Dunfee

| image = Evan_Dunfee_2021.jpg

| image_size = 270px

| caption = Dunfee in 2021

| nationality = Canadian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|9|28}}

| birth_place = Richmond, British Columbia, Canada

| height = 1.86 m

| weight = 67 kg

| country = Canada

| sport = Athletics

| event = Racewalking

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{CAN}}}}

{{MedalCompetition|North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships}}

}}

Evan Dunfee (born September 28, 1990){{Citation| last = Dunfee| first = Evan| title = My journey| url = http://dunfeewalks.weebly.com/my-journey.html| access-date = May 18, 2015| archive-date = March 4, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304230704/http://dunfeewalks.weebly.com/my-journey.html| url-status = dead}} is a Canadian race walker and Olympian. An Olympic and World medallist, Dunfee first set the Canadian record in the 50 kilometres race walk (at 3:41:38) at the 2016 Summer Olympics, where he placed fourth. He went on to win bronze medals at the 2019 World Athletics Championships and the 2020 Summer Olympics, which was the last time both of those competitions held the 50 km as an event. In 2025 he set a new world record in the 35 kilometres race walk event.{{cite news |title=Canada's Evan Dunfee sets world record in 35km race walk |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/athletics/evan-dunfee-race-walking-world-record-1.7490754 |access-date=24 March 2025 |publisher=CBC Sports |date=22 March 2025}}

Career

He competed for his national team in the 50K walk at the 2013 World Championships, finishing in under 4 hours at 3:59:28. He won a bronze medal with his team at the 2013 World University Games where two of the winning Russian race walkers, Denis Strelkov and Andrey Ruzavin have since been suspended for doping violations. Dunfee is the 2012 champion and record holder for the 20 km walk at the NACAC Under-23 Championships in Athletics. He was the silver medalist at the Athletics at the 2013 Jeux de la Francophonie. He has several near misses finishing fourth at the 2009 Pan American Race Walking Cup, the 2013 Pan American Race Walking Cup, 2015 Pan American Race Walking Cup and the 2012 Oceania Race Walking Championships and sixth at the 2010 Commonwealth Games{{ Citation | title = Participants / DUNFEE Evan| url = http://d2010results.thecgf.com/en/Participant.mvc/ParticipantInfo/33a6f9a2-bf05-4380-8167-6751df3a9d24| publisher = Commonwealth Games Federation| access-date = May 18, 2015}} usually very close to teammate and training partner Gomez.

Dunfee grew up and currently lives in Richmond, British Columbia, training up to 50 km a day.{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Vancouver Sun|url=https://vancouversun.com/|access-date=2021-08-04|website=vancouversun|language=en-CA}} He attended Kingswood Elementary and Matthew McNair Secondary School in Richmond, British Columbia. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2014 with a Bachelor's degree in kinesiology.{{Cite web|url=https://ca.linkedin.com/in/evandunfee|title=LinkedIn Profile}} Dunfee was a digital contributor to Canadian Running Magazine.{{Cite web|url=https://runningmagazine.ca/the-scene/a-walkers-perspective-introducing-evan-dunfee/|title=A walker’s perspective: introducing Evan Dunfee|date=November 2, 2018|website=Canadian Running Magazine}} His investigative work on illegal doping-related activities by Russian competitors has been quoted by the Associated Press and Inside the Games.{{Cite web|date=January 16, 2015|title=Another Russian race-walker under scrutiny|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/another-russian-race-walker-under-scrutiny-183033755.html#NV5nFx6|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118105116/https://uk.news.yahoo.com/another-russian-race-walker-under-scrutiny-183033755.html|archive-date=January 18, 2015|website=Associated Press}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1024880/iaaf-opens-investigation-after-russia-s-olympic-champion-racewalker-reportedly-competes-during-doping-ban|title=IAAF opens investigation after Russia's Olympic champion racewalker reportedly competes during doping ban|date=January 14, 2015|website=www.insidethegames.biz}} Additionally, he is a KidSport ambassador.{{Cite web|title=Team Kidsport|url=http://www.kidsportcanada.ca/british-columbia/team-kidsport|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424202347/http://www.kidsportcanada.ca/british-columbia/team-kidsport/|archive-date=April 24, 2015}} In 2018, in support of KidSport's 25th anniversary, he raised funds and walked 25 km a day for 25 days.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dunfeewalks.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104063039/https://www.dunfeewalks.com/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 4, 2019|title=Dunfee Walks - KidSport x Camp KM|website=Dunfee Walks}}

In July 2016, he was named to Canada's Olympic team for the 2016 Rio Olympics.{{cite news|first=Asif|last=Hossain|title=Athletics Canada nominates largest squad to Team Canada for Rio|url=http://olympic.ca/2016/07/11/athletics-canada-nominates-largest-squad-to-team-canada-for-rio/|publisher=Canadian Olympic Committee|date=July 11, 2016|access-date=July 11, 2016}} In the 50-kilometre race walk, Hirooki Arai of Japan initially finished third. He was then disqualified for making contact with Dunfee, but Arai's medal was reinstated after a Japanese appeal led to overturning the disqualification. Dunfee advised the Canadian team against making a further appeal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/olympics/2016/08/19/exhausted-canadian-50k-walker-bumped-out-of-bronze-literally-by-japanese.html|title=Drama at the 50K walk; Canadian Evan Dunfee loses bronze after Japanese protest|date=August 19, 2016|website=thestar.com}} Dunfee set a new Canadian record in the event.{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/canada/evan-dunfee-14174336|title=Evan DUNFEE | Profile | World Athletics|website=www.worldathletics.org}} He also competed in the 20-kilometre race walk, placing tenth.

After dealing with injuries, Dunfee took some time out from the sport in 2018 before beginning what he termed a restart with new goals. His work with KidSport to raise money for charity was part of an attempt to give him "a different avenue to chase [his] competitive spirit," and he credited it with reinvigorating him heading into the 2019 season.{{cite news |title=Race walker Evan Dunfee sets sights on Tokyo after bronze in Doha |url=https://sportsgazette.co.uk/race-walker-evan-dunfee-sets-sights-on-tokyo-after-bronze-in-doha/ |last=Thompson|first=Becky |work=Sports Gazette |date=October 5, 2019}} Competing at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Dunfee won the bronze medal, the second medal for a Canadian in racewalk at the World Championships, and the first in the 50 km. This was the last time the 50 km was contested at the World Championships, a decision Dunfee indicated he disagreed with. He went on to say that his full focus was on preparing for the next Olympics.{{cite web |title=After digging deep in Doha, Dunfee sets sights on next big targets |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/feature/world-championships-doha-2019-evan-dunfee-50k |last=Dennehy|first=Cathal |website=World Athletics |date=October 17, 2019}}

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo were delayed by a year. As in Doha, this was the last time the 50 kilometres race walk was to be a featured event at the Olympics. In the closing metres of the race, Dunfee surged into third place and won the bronze medal, becoming the third-ever Canadian racewalking Olympic medalist and the only one in the 50 km event. He said, "I don't need a medal to validate myself. I'm proud of what I accomplished today, but I have been dreaming of this moment and winning this medal for 21 years. I am over the moon."{{Cite news|last=Smart|first=Zack|date=August 5, 2021|title=Canada's Evan Dunfee storms back to capture bronze in 50km race walk|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/evan-dunfee-50-km-race-walk-bronze-1.6131299|access-date=August 5, 2021}} Dunfee's accomplishment in Tokyo was recognized by the Canadian association of national team athletes with their True Sport Award for the athlete who "exemplifies the highest values of sport, including sportsmanship, perseverance and inclusion" in December 2021.{{cite web |title=Bujold, Dunfee, Paquin, Heil, women’s soccer team honoured at 44th Canadian Sport Awards |url=https://athletescan.com/en/bujold-dunfee-paquin-heil-womens-soccer-team-honoured-44th-canadian-sport-awards |website=AthletesCan |publisher=AthletesCan.com |access-date=25 December 2021}}

The transition to the 2022 season was difficult for Dunfee, who struggled with both a hamstring injury and depression relating to World Athletics' decision to retire from the 50 km event in favour of the new 35 km. He said it had "been a mental struggle for me, finding the motivation and mostly related to just coming to terms with the 50K not existing anymore, and that was so much of my identity."{{cite web |title=Evan Dunfee plans to balance athletic world, potential council duties in future |url=https://www.richmond-news.com/local-sports/evan-dunfee-plans-to-balance-athletic-world-council-duties-in-future-5610042 |last=Warburton |first=Paul |website=World Athletics |date=5 March 2022 |access-date=7 August 2022}} In his first major championship appearance in the new event, he finished seventh at the 2022 World Race Walking Team Championships in Muscat.{{cite web |title=Karlstrom earns first global honours with 35km victory in Muscat |url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi-7138851/news/report/men-35km-muscat |last=Leung |first=Valerie |website=Richmond News |date=23 July 2022 |access-date=7 August 2022}}{{cite web |title=Canadian race walker Evan Dunfee might not be one of the stars on 35, but he won’t rule it out |url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/2022/07/20/canadian-race-walker-evan-dunfee-might-not-be-one-of-the-stars-on-35-but-he-wont-rule-it-out.html |last=Gillespie |first=Kerry |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=21 July 2022 |access-date=7 August 2022}} He was sixth at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, which he said he was "thrilled" by in light of his recent difficulties.{{cite web |title=Canada's Evan Dunfee finishes 6th in men's 35km race walk at World Athletics Championships|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/world-athletics-championships-july-24-recap-1.6530524 |website=CBC Sports |date=24 July 2022 |access-date=7 August 2022}} Later in the summer, Dunfee was named to the Canadian team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, competing in the newly-added 10,000 m walk. He won the gold medal in a new national and Commonwealth Games record time of 38:36.37.{{cite web |title=Canadian race walker Evan Dunfee wins gold at Commonwealth Games with record-setting performance |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/commonwealthgames/commonwealth-games-roundup-day-10-august-7-1.6544096 |website=CBC Sports |date=7 August 2022 |access-date=7 August 2022}}

Dunfee sought election to the Richmond City Council in the 2022 municipal elections.{{cite web |title=Olympic medallist Evan Dunfee running for city council in Richmond, B.C. |date=December 7, 2021 |website=CBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003045805/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/evan-dunfee-richmond-council-1.6276052 |archive-date=October 3, 2022 |url-status=live |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/evan-dunfee-richmond-council-1.6276052}} He finished tenth in balloting, two ordinals back of a place on the council.{{cite web |title=Malcolm Brodie easily wins his eighth term as Richmond mayor |url=https://www.richmond-news.com/2022-civic-election/malcolm-brodie-easily-wins-his-eighth-term-as-richmond-mayor-5962109 |last=Leung |first=Valerie |website=Richmond News |date=15 October 2022 |access-date=2 September 2023}}

At the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Dunfee competed in the 20 km walk on the first day of the event, finishing fourth with a Canadian record time 1:18:03.{{cite web |title=Evan Dunfee, Ethan Katzberg set Canadian records on Day 1 of athletics worlds|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/world-athletics-championships-budapest-day-1-1.6941497 |last=Harrison |first=Doug |website=CBC Sports |date=19 August 2023 |access-date=2 September 2023}} He went on to finish fourth as well in the 35 km walk, having torn his hamstring around 32 kilometres into the race. He said that recovery times would likely preclude his planned participation in the 2023 Pan American Games.{{cite web |title=Canadian race walker Evan Dunfee coming to terms with finishing off the podium again |url=https://torontosun.com/sports/other-sports/dunfee-coming-to-terms-with-finishing-off-podium-again |last=Barnes |first=Dan |newspaper=The Toronto Sun |date=1 September 2023 |access-date=2 September 2023}}

But Dunfee did compete at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. He finished 9th in the 20 km walk in 1:22:14, and afterwards said "The hamstring was a big setback, but ... I went out there and I gave it my best shot."{{cite web |last1=Kelsall |first1=Christopher |title=Canadian athletes tearing up the track in 2023 Santiago Pan American Games |url=https://athleticsillustrated.com/canadian-athletes-tearing-up-the-track-in-2023-santiago-pan-american-games/ |website=Athletics Illustrated |access-date=6 November 2023}}

On March 22, 2025 Dunfee set a new 35 kilometres race walk world record of 2:21:40 at the Dudince 50 World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold meeting in Dudince, Slovakia. breaking the old mark by seven seconds.

Personal bests

Event	Result	Venue	Date
class="wikitable" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
colspan="4"\|Road walk
10 km	40:19 min	{{flagicon\|CAN}} Moncton, New Brunswick	June 22, 2013
20 km	1:18:03 hrs	{{flagicon\|HUN}} Budapest	August 19, 2023
35 km	2:25:02 hrs	{{flagicon\|USA}} Eugene, Oregon	July 24, 2022
50 km	3:41:38 hrs	{{flagicon\|BRA}} Rio de Janeiro	August 19, 2016
colspan="4"\|Track walk
5000 m	18:39.08 min	{{flagicon\|CAN}} Burnaby, British Columbia	June 18, 2021
10,000 m	38:36.37 min	{{flagicon\|GBR}} Birmingham, United Kingdom	August 7, 2022
20,000 m	1:25:15.0 hrs (ht)	{{flagicon\|CAN}} Calgary, Alberta	June 25, 2011

Competition record

{{AchievementTable\|Event=yes\|class=wikitable style="text-align:center; font-size: 90%;}}
colspan="6"\|Representing {{CAN}}
2007 \|World Youth Championships \|Ostrava, Czech Republic \|23rd \|10,000 m \|47:40.86
2008 \|World Junior Championships \|Bydgoszcz, Poland \|10th \|10,000 m \|42:56.82
rowspan=2\|2009 \|Pan American Race Walking Cup (U20) \|San Salvador, El Salvador \|4th \|10 km \|44:16
Pan American Junior Championships \|Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago \|6th \|10,000 m \|43:27.04
rowspan=2\|2010 \|World Race Walking Cup \|Chihuahua, México \| – \|20 km \|DNF
Commonwealth Games \|Delhi, India \|6th \|20 km \|1:28:13
2011 \|Universiade \|Shenzhen, China \|14th \|20 km \|1:29:13
rowspan=4\|2012 \|Oceania Race Walking Championships \|Hobart, Tasmania, Australia \|4th^† \|20 km \|1:25:17
rowspan=2\|World Race Walking Cup \|rowspan=2\|Saransk, Russia \| – \|20 km \|DNF
15th \|Team (20 km) \|180 pts
NACAC U23 Championships \|Irapuato, México \|bgcolor=gold\|1st \|20,000 m \|1:26:15.32 A
rowspan=5\|2013 \|Pan American Race Walking Cup \|Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala \|4th \|20 km \|1:25:43 A
rowspan=2\|Universiade \|rowspan=2\|Kazan, Russia \|21st \|20 km \|1:31:07
bgcolor="cc9966"\|3rd \|Team (20 km) \|4:20:35
World Championships \|Moscow, Russia \|36th \|50 km \|3:59:28
Jeux de la Francophonie \|Nice, France \|bgcolor=silver\|2nd \|20 km \|1:25:30
rowspan=2\|2014 \|rowspan=2\|World Race Walking Cup \|rowspan=2\|Taicang, China \|11th \|20 km \|1:20:13
4th \|Team (20 km) \|36 pts
rowspan=4\|2015 \|rowspan=2\|Pan American Race Walking Cup \|rowspan=2\|Arica, Chile \|4th \|20 km \|1:21:54
bgcolor=gold\|1st \|Team (20 km) \|21 pts
rowspan=2\|World Championships \|rowspan=2\|Beijing, China \|12th \|20 km \|1:21:48
12th \|50 km \|3:49:56
rowspan=4\|2016 \|rowspan=2\|World Race Walking Team Championships \|rowspan=2\|Rome, Italy \|16th \|20 km \|1:21:26
bgcolor=silver\|2nd \|Team (20 km) \|28 pts
rowspan=2\|Olympic Games \|rowspan=2\|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil \| 10th \| 20 km \| 1:20:49
4th \| 50 km \| 3:41:38
2017 \| World Championships \| London, England \| 15th \| 50 km \| 3:47:36
rowspan=3\|2018 \| Commonwealth Games \| Gold Coast, Australia \| 8th \| 20 km \| 1:23:26
World Race Walking Team Championships \| Taicang, China \| 12th \| 50 km \| 3:50:18
NACAC Championships \| Toronto, Canada \| bgcolor=gold\|1st \| 20 km \| 1:25:39
2019 \| World Championships \| Doha, Qatar \| bgcolor=cc9966\|3rd \| 50 km \| 4:05:02
2021 \| Olympic Games \| Tokyo, Japan \| bgcolor=cc9966\|3rd \| 50 km \| 3:50:59
rowspan=4\|2022 \| World Race Walking Team Championships \| Muscat, Oman \| 7th \| 35 km \| 2:38:08
World Championships \| Eugene, United States \| 6th \| 35 km \| 2:25:02
Commonwealth Games \| Birmingham, United Kingdom \| bgcolor=gold\|1st \| 10,000 m \| 38:36.37
NACAC Championships \| Freeport, Bahamas \| bgcolor=silver\|2nd \| 20,000 m \| 1:27:18
rowspan=3\|2023 \| rowspan=2\| World Championships \| rowspan=2\| Budapest, Hungary \| 4th \| 20 km \| 1:18:03
4th \| 35 km \| 2:25:28
\| Pan American Games \| \| Santiago, Chile \| 9th \| 20 km \| \| 1:22:14

{{AchievementTable|Event=yes|class=wikitable style="text-align:center; font-size: 90%;}}

colspan="6"|Representing {{CAN}}

2007

|World Youth Championships

|Ostrava, Czech Republic

|23rd

|10,000 m

|47:40.86

2008

|World Junior Championships

|Bydgoszcz, Poland

|10th

|10,000 m

|42:56.82

rowspan=2|2009

|Pan American Race Walking Cup (U20)

|San Salvador, El Salvador

|4th

|10 km

|44:16

Pan American Junior Championships

|Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

|6th

|10,000 m

|43:27.04

rowspan=2|2010

|World Race Walking Cup

|Chihuahua, México

| –

|20 km

|DNF

Commonwealth Games

|Delhi, India

|6th

|20 km

|1:28:13

2011

|Universiade

|Shenzhen, China

|14th

|20 km

|1:29:13

rowspan=4|2012

|Oceania Race Walking Championships

|Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

|4th^†

|20 km

|1:25:17

rowspan=2|World Race Walking Cup

|rowspan=2|Saransk, Russia

| –

|20 km

|DNF

15th

|Team (20 km)

|180 pts

NACAC U23 Championships

|Irapuato, México

|bgcolor=gold|1st

|20,000 m

|1:26:15.32 A

rowspan=5|2013

|Pan American Race Walking Cup

|Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala

|4th

|20 km

|1:25:43 A

rowspan=2|Universiade

|rowspan=2|Kazan, Russia

|21st

|20 km

|1:31:07

bgcolor="cc9966"|3rd

|Team (20 km)

|4:20:35

World Championships

|Moscow, Russia

|36th

|50 km

|3:59:28

Jeux de la Francophonie

|Nice, France

|bgcolor=silver|2nd

|20 km

|1:25:30

rowspan=2|2014

|rowspan=2|World Race Walking Cup

|rowspan=2|Taicang, China

|11th

|20 km

|1:20:13

4th

|Team (20 km)

|36 pts

rowspan=4|2015

|rowspan=2|Pan American Race Walking Cup

|rowspan=2|Arica, Chile

|4th

|20 km

|1:21:54

bgcolor=gold|1st

|Team (20 km)

|21 pts

rowspan=2|World Championships

|rowspan=2|Beijing, China

|12th

|20 km

|1:21:48

12th

|50 km

|3:49:56

rowspan=4|2016

|rowspan=2|World Race Walking Team Championships

|rowspan=2|Rome, Italy

|16th

|20 km

|1:21:26

bgcolor=silver|2nd

|Team (20 km)

|28 pts

rowspan=2|Olympic Games

|rowspan=2|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

| 10th

| 20 km

| 1:20:49

4th

| 50 km

| 3:41:38

2017

| World Championships

| London, England

| 15th

| 50 km

| 3:47:36

rowspan=3|2018

| Commonwealth Games

| Gold Coast, Australia

| 8th

| 20 km

| 1:23:26

World Race Walking Team Championships

| Taicang, China

| 12th

| 50 km

| 3:50:18

NACAC Championships

| Toronto, Canada

| bgcolor=gold|1st

| 20 km

| 1:25:39

2019

| World Championships

| Doha, Qatar

| bgcolor=cc9966|3rd

| 50 km

| 4:05:02

2021

| Olympic Games

| Tokyo, Japan

| bgcolor=cc9966|3rd

| 50 km

| 3:50:59

rowspan=4|2022

| World Race Walking Team Championships

| Muscat, Oman

| 7th

| 35 km

| 2:38:08

World Championships

| Eugene, United States

| 6th

| 35 km

| 2:25:02

Commonwealth Games

| Birmingham, United Kingdom

| bgcolor=gold|1st

| 10,000 m

| 38:36.37

NACAC Championships

| Freeport, Bahamas

| bgcolor=silver|2nd

| 20,000 m

| 1:27:18

rowspan=3|2023

| rowspan=2| World Championships

| rowspan=2| Budapest, Hungary

| 4th

| 20 km

| 1:18:03

4th

| 35 km

| 2:25:28

| Pan American Games

| | Santiago, Chile

| 9th

| 20 km

| | 1:22:14

^†: Guest appearance out of competition.

References

External links

{{Sports links}}
{{2022 Commonwealth Games profile|54611}}
[https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/evan-dunfee_1974102 Evan Dunfee] at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics

Category:1990 births

Category:Living people

Category:Canadian male race walkers

Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Canada

Category:World Athletics Championships medalists

Category:Olympic track and field athletes for Canada

Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Canada

Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field)

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Category:Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics