Evan Dunfee says he likes that the race walk is often the first event at the world championships, because it gives him a chance to get Canada off to a fast start.

The Canadians should have plenty of motivation now.

Dunfee surged into the lead late and held on down the stretch to win the men’s 35-kilometer race walk to claim the first gold medal of the 2025 World Athletics Championships on a humid Saturday morning at Tokyo’s National Stadium.