In what will likely be his final Olympics, Canadian race walker Evan Dunfee came just shy of a podium appearance.

Dunfee, 33, finished in fifth place with a time of 1:19:16, 21 seconds behind the winner. Despite sticking with the leading group for several laps, Dunfee fell behind as the race began to open up. He made a push in the final two kilometres, but was ultimately unable to close the five-second gap between himself and third place.

Ecuador’s Brian Daniel Pintado took home the gold medal with a time of 1:18:55, the first gold medal of the Games and his career. Brazil’s Caio Bonfim came in second, 14 seconds behind Pintado and Spain’s Alvaro Martin earned bronze, finishing two seconds after Martin.

Mexico’s Jose Luis Doctor was disqualified from the race after receiving his third red card — meaning the judges assessed three times that the 28 year old did not maintain one foot on the ground at all times. A competitor may only receive one red card before penalties are awarded: a two-minute penalty for three and a disqualification for four.

Dunfee, a Richmond, B.C. native, earned bronze at Tokyo 2020 in the 50-km race walk, but that event is not on the Paris program. He finished fourth in the 50-km walk and 10th in the 20km in 2016.

Race walking is one of the oldest sports on the Olympic program, making it’s debut at the 1908 Games.

Canadian race walker Evan Dunfee narrowly missed out on a medal in the 20-km race walk at the recent competition, finishing in fifth place. Despite his strong performance, Dunfee was unable to secure a spot on the podium, falling just short of the top three finishers.

Dunfee, who is known for his determination and endurance, put in a solid effort throughout the race, maintaining a steady pace and pushing himself to the limit. However, he faced tough competition from other top athletes in the field, ultimately coming up short in his quest for a medal.

Despite the disappointment of not winning a medal, Dunfee can still take pride in his performance and the hard work he put in to reach this level of competition. His fifth-place finish is a testament to his skill and dedication as a race walker, and he can use this experience as motivation to continue improving and striving for success in future competitions.

Dunfee’s performance in the 20-km race walk serves as a reminder of the fierce competition and high level of skill required to compete at the international level. While he may have narrowly missed out on a medal this time, there is no doubt that Dunfee will continue to train hard and push himself to new heights in his pursuit of excellence in race walking.

Overall, Evan Dunfee’s fifth-place finish in the 20-km race walk is a commendable achievement that showcases his talent and determination as an athlete. While he may not have reached the podium on this occasion, there is no doubt that Dunfee will continue to strive for success and make Canada proud in future competitions.