Evan Dunfee
Walking Champions: develops and delivers no-cost school-based programming introducing youth to the life-long benefits of walking as a means of enhancing physical and mental health; promotes walking in all its forms as broadly accessible activity that offers opportunities for social interaction, and transportation; and includes an optional competitive element that challenges students to emulate 2020 Olympic bronze medallist Evan Dunfee and 2024 Olympian Olivia Lundman who act as the program ambassadors and promotes Olympism via Walking Champions’ natural linkages with the Olympic discipline of race walking.
Olivia and Evan joined up to form Canada’s team in the inaugural Olympic mixed marathon race walking relay. They finished 20th in a Canadian record time of 3 hours 4 minutes & 57 seconds.
Guided by five-time Olympian, Tim Berrett, and with input from double Olympians Iñaki Gómez and Tina Poitras, as well as several international Olympic medallists, Walking Champions adds a walking component to the Alberta Medical Association Youth Run Club (YRC), which is currently delivered to more than 24,000 students in over 500 schools by Ever Active Schools.
Walking Champions is offered across Alberta (both in person and virtually), but will be scalable nationally as other partners are added. Walking Champions helped promote Winter Walk Day in February along with Olympians from Poland, Australia, South Africa, China, Colombia, India, Lithuania, Germany, and Canada and continues to leverage existing YRC initiatives targeting girls and indigenous communities. Walking Champions will also promote the annual World Olympic Day, World Walking Day, and International Walk to School Week.
- WCM is grateful for the financial and in-kind support provided by the following partners:
- OLY Canada OLY Legacy Grant
- Ever Active Schools
- Government of Alberta Community Initiatives Program
- Government of Alberta Every Kid Can Play Program
- Canadian Women & Sport Spotlight Grant
- ParticipAction Community Challenge Grant
- SHAPE (Safe Healthy Active People Everywhere) Alberta
Any Alberta schools interested in being part of the program are asked to email us directly or contact Ever Active Schools at https://amayouthrunclub.com/join-the-club/.
Why Walking Champions?
Some research illustrating the importance and impact of walking:
Why Walking is Making a Comeback (Walking participation has considerable health benefits, 2022)
“Globally, walking is the most popular activity” (ASICS Global Research, 2022)
Active Transportation – Park the Car and Walk (Even short walks can impact health and the environment, 2022)
“Childhood walking behavior leads to stronger walking habits in adulthood” (US research shows lasting impact of walking, 2019)
“Walk on: 10 benefits of a 15 minute walk” (short walks during the day have many benefits)
“Solvitur Ambulando” – “It is solved by walking” (Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis)