Canadian race walker Evan Dunfee wins gold at Commonwealth Games with record-setting performance

Canada's Evan Dunfee won the men's 10-kilometre race walk with a record-setting performance on Sunday for the country's 23rd gold medal of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

The 31-year-old from Richmond, B.C., finished the race in a Games record time of 38 minutes 36.37 seconds while also breaking his own Canadian record and setting a new personal best. 

It was 3.35 seconds faster than his previous national record of 38:39.72 set in June 2021 at the Harry Jerome Track Classic.

Dunfee fell behind at the halfway point, but he moved up from fifth place and took the lead in the closing stages. It's his first Commonwealth Games medal in his third appearance. 

Dunfee won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics last summer in the now-defunct 50km race walk, and he finished sixth in the 35km race at the World Athletics Championships last month. He also holds the Canadian record in the 50km race walk.

Canada has also won 29 silver and 33 bronze medals for a total of 85 medals at the Commonwealth Games, which has them third in the standings. The Games conclude on Monday.