World race walk champion Evan Dunfee pulls out of men’s 20k event with hamstring tear

By Canadian Press on September 19, 2025.

TOKYO — Evan Dunfee’s hopes of adding another gold medal at the world athletics championships have ended after the Canadian race-walker pulled out of Saturday’s men’s 20-kilometre event with a hamstring injury.

Dunfee said in an Instagram message posted Thursday that an MRI at Tokyo’s Juntendo University Hospital revealed a “fairly bad” tear in his right hamstring.

The veteran competitor from Richmond, B.C., who turns 35 later this month, said previously he felt the hamstring “pop” as he neared the finish line of the men’s 50-kilometre race last Saturday.

Dunfee held on to win the race, but says he was competing in intense pain over the last two metres.

He said he had hoped for a recovery before MRI confirmed the extent of his injury.

Dunfee said he’s disappointed to miss the 20k race, but added he finds consolation in pushing through injury to win a world title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2025.

The Canadian Press

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