At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Evan Dunfee of Richmond, B.C., achieved a remarkable fifth-place finish in the men's 20-kilometre race walk, clocking in at 1:19:16. Despite staying with the leading group for several laps, Dunfee was unable to hold on; he made a final push in the last two kilometres but couldn't close the five-second gap for a medal. As the fastest Canadian on his feet, Dunfee now looks forward to competing in the mixed marathon race walk on August 7, where he will both compete and coach his relay partner, 21-year-old Olivia Lundman from Nanaimo, B.C. This reflective moment offers an opportunity to look back at Dunfee's inspiring journey from his early days in Richmond to becoming one of Canada's top race walkers.
Growing up in Richmond, B.C., Dunfee attended Kingswood Elementary and Matthew McNair Secondary School. His commitment to race walking began early and continued through his time at the University of British Columbia (UBC), where he graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor's degree in kinesiology. Competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Dunfee laid the foundation for his future success.
In 2012, Evan Dunfee became the champion and record holder for the 20km walk at the NACAC Under-23 Championships. The following year, in 2013, he competed for the national team in the 50km walk at the World Championships, finishing with an impressive time of 3:59:28. That same year, Dunfee won a bronze medal with his team at the World University Games and he secured a silver medal at the Jeux de la Francophonie.
Dunfee's Olympic journey began at the Rio 2016 Games, where he set the Canadian record for the 50km race walk and narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth. He also competed in the 20km race walk, finishing tenth. His perseverance and dedication paid off at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he earned a bronze medal in the 50km race walk, solidifying his status as one of Canada's top race walkers.
With the 50km race walk removed from the Olympic program after Tokyo, Dunfee spent three years reinventing himself as a 20km walker. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, he delivered a commendable performance, placing fifth in the men's 20km race walk with a time of 1:19:16, just five seconds behind third-place winner Alvaro Martin from Spain.
His journey from a young athlete in Richmond to competing on the world stage serves as an inspiration for aspiring race walkers and athletes everywhere.