Caio Bonfim finally achieved his goal of winning a gold medal for race walking, though it came at the cost of his wedding ring.
Professional race walking is one of track and field’s most grueling endurance events, requiring athletes to maintain contact with the ground at all times while covering 20 kilometers at top speed. The discipline is a staple of the World Athletics Championships, which took place in Tokyo in 2025.
Among the field was Brazil’s Caio Bonfim, a 34-year-old veteran with Olympic and World Championship medals to his name, but never a gold.
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Bonfim entered the 20km walk (roughly 12 1/5 miles) as one of the favorites after years of near misses, including silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics and multiple world championship bronzes. Known for his perseverance, he had already taken silver in the 35km walk earlier in the week, setting the stage for a dramatic push in the shorter distance.
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E DE OURO, OURO, OURO 🇧🇷🇧🇷🥇 🥇
CAIO BONFIM CONQUISTA O OURO NOS 20KM DA MARCHA ATLÉTICA DO MUNDIAL DE ATLETISMO E SE TORNA O MAIOR MEDALHISTA DO PAÍS EM MUNDIAIS, COM 4 MEDALHAS!!
BRASIL O PAÍS DA MARCHA!!!
Foto: Fernanda Paradizo/CBAt pic.twitter.com/yDU3QQD8SY
— Surto Olímpico (@SurtoOlimpico) September 20, 2025
Bonfim trades wedding ring for gold medal
Only three kilometers into the race, Bonfim realized he’d lost his wedding ring on the course. Instead of letting it derail his focus, he pressed on, gradually moving through the field before overtaking China’s Zhaozhao Wang and Spain’s Paul McGrath on the final lap. Bonfim surged to the finish to secure his first world title, lifting Brazil’s flag in celebration.
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Afterward, he joked that his wife would forgive the missing jewelry since he finally brought home gold. For Bonfim, who has competed at eight World Championships without a victory until now, the medal was proof of the resilience that’s defined his career, and a story he’ll remember every time he looks at the hand missing its ring.