Evan Dunfee's 'livelihood' at stake with potential loss of 50K race walk
A potential move to get rid of the 50-kilometre race walk from the athletics program would devastate one Canadian athlete.
Evan Dunfee, who made name for himself during the 2015 Pan Am Games and the 2016 Rio Olympics, expressed his shock with news the IAAF will vote on several potential changes to the organization's sport calendar.
The 50-km event could be erased from major competition, including the world championships and Olympics.
Dunfee, from Richmond, B.C., was clearly heartbroken at the possibility of having his signature event removed.
The 28-year-old emerged on the international scene at the Pan Am Games in 2015, winning gold in the 20-km event.
He then set a new Canadian record in the 50 km race walk at the Olympics in Rio, where he placed fourth.
It appeared the Canadian had won bronze after it was first determined Japan's Hirooki Arai made contact with Dunfee. But officials overturned the decision, dropping Dunfee to fourth place.
Dunfee then advised the Canadian athletics team not to protest the decision, which further endeared him to fans.
If IAAF votes to remove the 50 km at a meeting set for April 14, the event will be discontinued after the Wold Cup in May 2018.
