VANCOUVER - Richmond, BC native and UBC School of Kinesiology alum
Evan Dunfee wrote his chapter in the Canadian Athletics and Thunderbirds history books on a Friday morning in Rio and then had the chapter painfully re-written hours later. The 25-year-old Dunfee, was awarded the bronze medal in the 50-kilometre race walk event after Japanese runner Hirook Arai was disqualified for bumping Dunfee when he passed in him in the late stages of the race. It would have been the the first medal in track and field ever won by a UBC Thunderbird alumni. But just after 12 PM PST the Canadian appeal was overturned by the IAAF and Dunfee was moved back to fourth place.
Months after returning home from Canada, Dunfee had this to say to the Vancouver Sun;
"Contact is part of our event … and I don't believe this was malicious or done with intent. I would not have been able to receive that medal with a clear conscience and it isn't something I would have been proud of. I will never allow myself to be defined by the accolades I receive, (but) rather the integrity that I carry through life."
Dunfee, who was leading at the 45-kilometre mark, finished in three hours 41 minutes 38 seconds, breaking his own Canadian record of 3:43:45. UBC's track and field Head Coach
Laurier Primeau, who knows Dunfee and his Canadian team very well, believes although the end result is heartbreaking, a fourth place finish on the sport's biggest stage is still an incredible accomplishment.
Statement from Athletics Canada below:
"He has a remarkable team behind him and with him. Two of which are also UBC graduates,
Ben Thorne and
Inaki Gomez," said Primeau. "I'm sure Evan would agree that one of the most influential people in his life is his coach Gerry Dragomir, who is incredibly detail oriented and examines all components of training for that great Canadian race walking contingent."
Dragomir, who has completed a graduate degree from UBC, is the brains behind UBC track and field's development of one of the top race walking programs in North America.
Slovakia's Matej Toth won gold in 3:40:58 while Australia's Jared Tallent was second in 3:41:16. Dunfee won gold in the 20 kilometre race walk at last summer's Pan American Games.
