Summary
Álvaro Martín did not return to defend his title having retired after being part of the Spanish Gold medal race walk relay. Earlier in the year, Olympic champion Massimo Stano set the world record in the event but a hamstring injury prevented his participation.
In the closing stages of the 2016 Olympics, Japanese walker Hirooki Arai elbowed his way past Evan Dunfee, wrecking his stride at that critical moment. Arai took third but was later disqualified for interference. That DQ was overturned on appeal, denying Dunfee an Olympic medal. Five years later, Dunfee got his Olympic bronze medal in Japan. Four years later, Dunfee is back in Japan.
The race quickly formed a pack of 23 walkers. By 10k, it had whittled down to 13 with Japanese walkers Hayato Katsuki and Masatora Kawano on the front satisfying the home crowd. Around 16K, only David Hurtado was walking with the leading Japanese though four or five others were trying to stay in the same zip code including Caio Bonfim, Aurélien Quinion and Dunfee. That group stayed in contention through 26K when things began to shake up. Hurtado began to push the pace. Kawano tried to go with him but Katsuki fell slightly off the pace. Then Kawano couldn't stay with him. Hurtado had broken the race and was all alone. Then he wasn't. Hurtado picked up enough DQ cards to earn a trip to the penalty box officially called the Penalty Zone in race walking. He got to rejoin the race 3 and a half minutes later, finishing ninth only 3 minutes and 17 seconds behind the winner. With Hurtado's exit, Kawano found himself in the lead, about 15 seconds ahead of Katsuki but Dunfee was gaining with Bonfim and Zhou Yingcheng gaining. Within a lap and a half of Hurtado's pause, Dunfee had passed both Japanese and was pulling away. Bonfim caught Kawano with just over a lap to go. Kawano's answer was to slow down. Over the final lap Dunfee struggled but had enough of a cushion to confidently pick up a Canadian flag to display at the finish. Bonfim gained over 30 seconds on Dunfee through the last lap and a half, but still finished 33 seconds behind. Kawano fell back through the field, eventually finishing 18th while Katsuki held off Zhou for the bronze. [2] [3]
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