Olivia Lundman made history on Saturday, shattering the Canadian senior record in the women's 5000m race walk at the Battle of Sparta meet in Langley, B.C. The University of British Columbia Thunderbird crossed the line in 21:55.86-a time that not only rewrote the national record books, but also catapulted her to sixth in the world rankings.
A three-time NAIA champion and first-time Olympian, Lundman has been a rising force on the global stage. Her latest mark solidifies her as a dominant figure in collegiate race walking and beyond-her time sits more than four minutes ahead of the next-best athlete in the NAIA rankings.
Lundman is coached by Olympic bronze medalist Evan Dunfee, who also competed alongside her in Paris as part of Canada's mixed marathon race walk relay squad. Her early coaching came from Gerry Dragomir, the pioneering force behind UBC's race walk program. The pair's guidance has helped shape her from a promising junior into one of Canada's top race walkers.