BUDAPEST, Hungary — Canada's Evan Dunfee placed fourth in the men's 20-kilometre race walk at the World Athletics Championships on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Richmond, B.C., native set a national record with a time of one hour 18 minutes three seconds.
Dunfee, who won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and at the 2019 worlds in the 50km race walk before it was scrapped, was content with his showing.
"(I) proved (to) myself that I could be a 20k walker still," Dunfee said. "It's funny how the brain works, I spent 10 years trying to break an hour 20 (minutes) and I crossed the finish line and I'm like "Ahh, damn, I didn't break an hour 18 (minutes).' Always striving for more.
"I know fourth place is supposed to be that bittersweet position where you're just off the podium but honestly, I couldn't be happier with this. Long time coming."
Spain's Alvaro Martin struck gold with a world-leading time of 1:17:32. Sweden's Perseus Karlstrom (1:17:39) and Brazil's Caio Bonfim (1:17:47) earned silver and bronze, respectively, while also setting national records of their own.
The race was delayed by two hours due to "imminent lightning." Dunfee will next compete in the 35km race walk on Aug. 24.
Meanwhile, Ethan Katzberg of Nanaimo, B.C., finished atop Group A in qualification for the men's hammer throw with a personal best and national record of 81.18 metres to get into the final.
Victoria's Adam Keenan will join Katzberg in Sunday's final, taking the sixth and final qualifying spot in Group A with a throw of 74.56 metres.
Jean-Simon Desgagnes of Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., advanced into the men's 3,000-metre steeplechase final with a time of 8:20.04, finishing second in the first heat.
Toronto's Brendon Rodney was the lone Canadian to qualify for Sunday's semifinal in the men's 100 with a time of 10.16 seconds. Kelowna, B.C., native Jerome Blake failed to qualify with a time of 10.29.
Quebec City's Charles Philibert-Thiboutot moved on to Sunday's semifinal in the men's 1,500, stopping the clock at 3:34.60 in the first heat.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2023.
The Canadian Press