Despite a lack of medals on the opening day of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Australians have reason to celebrate after Canadian Evan Dunfee won the meet’s first gold in the 35km race walk.
The 34-year-old has made Australia his home over summer for much of the past decade in a bid to avoid the Canadian winter, and broke the North American record in February at the Australian 20km race walking championships in Adelaide.
Australia’s own walkers also performed well in the stifling conditions, led by Rebecca Henderson who finished ninth behind women’s winner María Pérez from Spain.
“I knew on my best day I could probably be around that eighth to 12th and that happened, so I’m really happy,” Henderson said.
The Australian finished strongly, and overtook Peruvian Kimberly García in the final kilometre. “I just tried to stay relaxed at the start and not worry if people got ahead because I knew it was hot and people were definitely going to come back to me throughout the race.”
Australia’s Rebecca Henderson finishes eighth in the women’s 35km race walk on day one of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Photograph: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
In the men’s race, Dunfee’s first major international gold medal was close as he led by nearly a minute in the final kilometres in the course looping around the streets of Tokyo.
But in late drama the Canadian clutched his hamstring and briefly stopped and stretched. He struggled on to defeat Brazilian Caio Bonfim by 33 seconds, with Hayato Katsuki delivering bronze for the host nation.
Dunfee said he stayed patient, and the result was a dream come true. “The last two kilometres felt like the hardest ones I have ever done,” he said. “I had to channel all my strength for all the people back home.”
In a steamy race brought forward by half an hour in a bid to avoid the worst of the Tokyo heat, Rhydian Cowley was best of the Australian men finishing in 11th, having overcome a hamstring injury that curtailed his preparations.
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Liv Sandery slowed in the final stages to finish 14th in the women’s event, and Alannah Pitcher crossed the line in 19th.
Henderson and Cowley will race again in the 20km event in a week’s time.
Inside the stadium to end the morning session on the first day, Australia’s mixed 4x400m relay team was eliminated after finishing fifth in their semi-final.
The United States’ lineup set the fastest time in the morning session, and Saturday’s night’s final is set to be a memorable occasion after Japan snuck through as the final qualifier.
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