Pérez Retains Title, Dunfee Makes History in 35km Race Walks at Tokyo World Championships
The opening day of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 delivered drama, grit, and record-breaking performances as the world’s best race walkers battled oppressive heat and humidity on the streets of the Japanese capital. Spain’s María Pérez successfully defended her women’s 35km title, while Canada’s Evan Dunfee produced a career-defining performance to capture his first global gold in the men’s race.
Women’s 35km Race Walk: Pérez Reigns Again
Spain’s María Pérez reaffirmed her dominance with a commanding victory in the women’s 35km, stopping the clock at 2:39:00.1. The reigning champion controlled the pace through the middle stages before pulling away in the final 5km to secure her second consecutive world crown.
Italy’s Antonella Palmisano, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion at 20km, showed her trademark closing strength to clinch silver, while Paula Milena Torres of Ecuador delighted South American fans by seizing bronze with a national record performance.
The gruelling conditions—hot, humid, and testing—forced several contenders to fade, but Pérez stayed composed to deliver one of the most dominant performances of her career.
Women’s 35km Podium | View Full Results | Watch Race Highlights
- María Pérez (ESP) - 2:39:00.1
- Antonella Palmisano (ITA) - 2:42:24
- Paula Milena Torres (ECU) - 2:42:44 NR
Men’s 35km Race Walk: Dunfee Strikes Gold for Canada
In the men’s race, Evan Dunfee rose to the occasion with a stunning victory in 2:28:22, becoming the first Canadian ever to win a global title in the 35km race walk. Known for his late-race surges, Dunfee timed his move perfectly over the final laps to break clear of Brazil’s Caio Bonfim, who had set much of the early pace.
Hayato Katsuki brought joy to the home fans, digging deep in the closing kilometres to claim bronze and secure Japan’s first medal of the championships.
Men’s 35km Podium | View Full Results | Watch Race Highlights
- Evan Dunfee (CAN) - 2:28:22
- Caio Bonfim (BRA) - 2:28:55
- Hayato Katsuki (JPN) - 2:29:16
Challenging Conditions and Notable Absences
Both races began early in the morning to mitigate the intense Tokyo heat, yet athletes still faced soaring humidity levels that took a toll on pacing and strategy. Among notable storylines, Australia’s Rebecca Henderson finished an impressive ninth in the women’s event, while Rhydian Cowley placed 11th in the men’s race. Their teammate Jemima Montag, a medal hopeful, was a late withdrawal earlier in the week due to injury.
With these thrilling battles, the 2025 World Championships opened in spectacular fashion—setting the tone for nine more days of elite competition inside the Olympic Stadium.
