TORONTO – Canadian Evan Dunfee overcame stifling heat and humidity to capture gold in the men’s 20-kilometre race walk at the Pan American Games on Sunday.
The Richmond, B.C., native finished in one hour 23 minutes six seconds while fellow Canadian Inaki Gomez was second in 1:24:25. Brazil’s Caio Bonfim was third.
“The first kilometre, nobody wanted to go with it and I thought, I am going to go out on my own,” Dunfee said. “Nobody came with me and I was able to stick it out. I am so happy that worked.”
The weather conditions proved challenging for a second straight day.
READ MORE: Athletes, spectators warned as Toronto under 1st heat alert of the year
Mexico’s Maria Gonzalez collapsed at the finish line after winning the women’s crown in a Games-record time of 1:29:24.
She was treated by medical staff on-site. Officials said she was taken to hospital for further observation.
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Five runners dropped out of Saturday’s women’s marathon, which was held in similar weather.
The expected high for Sunday was 31 C but the humidity could make that feel more like 40.
The top Canadian woman was Olympian Rachel Seaman of Peterborough, Ont., who finished sixth in 1:32:49. Katelynn Ramage of Nanaimo, B.C., was 12th.
Brazil’s Erica de Sena was second in 1:30:03 while Ecuador’s Paola Perez collected bronze in 1:31:53.
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