Former Nanaimo Track and Field Club athlete Olivia Lundman is heading to the World Race Walking Championships to compete in her first ever marathon distance race. She is one of Canada's top race walk athletes and represented Canada at the summer Olympics in Paris in 2024. (Image Credit: Olivia Lundman)

By Dan Marshall

New Heights

Olivia Lundman to compete in marathon distance at World Race Walking Championships

Apr 5, 2026 | 6:01 AM

NANAIMO — Olivia Lundman is one of Canada’s top race walk athletes but she’s tackling something new at the upcoming World Team Race Walking Championships in Brazil.

After competing in the mixed relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics she’s upping her distance for the world’s.

The Nanaimo Track and Field Club grad will be doing her first ever marathon length event.

World’s are held every two years and Lundman said the race distances often fluctuate.

“The last one was a 20 kilometre and a marathon relay, which is where Evan [Dunfee] and I qualified for Paris, that was back in 2024 in Turkey. Two years before that, it was the 20 kilometre and the 35 kilometre, so this will be the first World Championships with the half marathon and the full marathon distance.”

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Lundman has never been to Brazil before and she’ll only get a brief time to get acclimatized for the event which starts on April 12.

There are many factors for a successful competition but Lundman said training has gone well.

“It will be very hot, and the race is also at slight altitude, so that adds in some extra challenges. It’s going to be physically and mentally a very challenging race, but I’m confident with where my training is at the moment that I’ll be able to go in there and give it my best, and hopefully put up a good race against the other competitors from all across the world.”

Going into the world’s Lundman is looking to improve her ranking and place as high as she can.

Her training regimen has had to change slightly with a focus on more endurance.

“The mileage definitely increases. I do about one faster speed session on the track a week, and then some longer speed endurance stuff. I’m mainly just focusing on getting lots of miles on the legs so that that it’s not a shock to the system when I’m suddenly trying to do 42 [kilometres] in a row.”

Heading to the LA Olympics in 2028 or to Brisbane in 2032 are on Lundman’s long term radar but 2026 will be extremely busy.

The Commonwealth Games, Pan American Race Walking Championships and other national and provincial events are scheduled assuming Lundman is able to qualify for those races.

Lundman now trains in Vancouver and isn’t able to make it back to Nanaimo very often.

When she does she’s happy to give back to the local track and field community.

“I love going out to the local track meets and helping coach or officiate. It’s a lot of fun getting to reminisce about my days when I was 10,11 or 12, running around on the track meets and doing all the events. It’s great to watch all the young kids growing up, the club is still thriving, and it’s really fun to watch the athletes grow up through the ranks.”

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