Kenny Bednarek

1. Overview

Kenneth Bednarek, born on October 14, 1998, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is an American track and field sprinter renowned for his exceptional speed, particularly in the 200-meter event. Standing 6 in tall, Bednarek has consistently distinguished himself on the international stage, earning multiple silver medals at major global competitions. His significant achievements include silver medals in the 200m at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, and again at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Bednarek also secured the 2021 Diamond League 200m championship and a gold medal as part of the 4×100m relay team at the 2024 World Athletics Relays. His career has been marked by a strong progression from a promising high school athlete to a professional sprinter with a contract with Nike, training under coach Dennis Mitchell.

2. Early life

Kenneth Bednarek was born on October 14, 1998, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He and his fraternal twin brother, Ian, were adopted by Mary Bednarek, and the family subsequently relocated to Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Both brothers developed an interest in running from a young age, participating in youth track programs starting in the second grade.

During his time at Rice Lake High School, Bednarek emerged as a standout athlete in track and field. He clinched seven individual state titles and played a pivotal role in leading his team to a 4×400 meter relay championship. In 2018, his time of 20.43 seconds in the 200 meters ranked as the fastest high school performance in the nation. Beyond track, Bednarek was also a talented American football player for Rice Lake High School. As a wide receiver, kick returner, and on jet sweeps, he scored 17 touchdowns during his junior and senior years. He was also a key player as a gunner on special teams. In his senior year, Bednarek's Rice Lake Warriors teams achieved state championships in both track and football. He continues to hold Wisconsin all-class records for the 200 meters and 400 meters, as well as the Division 2 record for the 100 meters.

3. Collegiate career

Due to academic qualifications, Kenneth Bednarek did not enroll directly in a major four-year university after high school. Instead, he pursued his athletic and academic journey at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa. Reflecting on this path, Bednarek stated, "I had a goal to go to university after JUCO, but obviously God (had) a different plan."

At Indian Hills, Bednarek quickly made a significant impact on the collegiate track scene. He recorded the fastest indoor 200 meters time in the United States, which also stood as the second-fastest time globally for the indoor season. This performance placed him tied as the 25th individual on the all-time indoor list for the event.

On May 17, 2019, while competing as a freshman for Indian Hills Community College, then 20-year-old Bednarek achieved a remarkable feat at the NJCAA National Championships in Hobbs, New Mexico. He ran the 200 meters in 19.49 seconds. This performance, achieved at altitude and aided by an exceptionally strong wind of 14 mph ^{(6.1 m/s)}, marked the fourth-fastest time ever recorded in the 200 meters under any conditions at the time, although it was not a legal wind-aided mark. The following day, Bednarek further demonstrated his speed and versatility by winning two national titles. He ran the 200 meters in 19.82 seconds into a -0.8 headwind, a legally valid time that positioned him as the 30th fastest legal race of all time in the outdoor 200 meters. On the same day, he also ran the 400 meters in 44.73 seconds, securing the NJCAA national championship in both events.

His unique achievement of running sub-20 seconds in the 200 meters and sub-45 seconds in the 400 meters on the same day had only been accomplished by one other athlete, Isaac Makwala of Botswana, who was 28 years old at the time of his feat in 2014. This made Bednarek the youngest athlete and the only American to achieve this remarkable double. For these outstanding performances, Bednarek was honored as the "USATF Athlete of the Week" on May 22, 2019.

4. Professional career

In July 2019, Kenneth Bednarek transitioned from his collegiate career at Indian Hills to professional athletics by signing a contract with Nike. Following this, he moved to Florida to train with former world champion sprinter and Olympic medalist Justin Gatlin. Bednarek noted that the decision to change his training environment was not his own but was directed by Nike, expressing trust in their guidance. He initially considered himself a 400-meter specialist in high school but successfully transitioned to the 200 meters. In July 2019, he stated his intention to continue focusing on the 200 meters as his main event, with a possibility of competing in the 100 meters in the future.

At the 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Bednarek qualified for the 200 meters final. However, during the final, he suffered a hamstring injury but persevered, jogging across the finish line. Despite the injury, his participation in the national championships and holding a qualifying time, coupled with Noah Lyles's wild card entry to the 2019 World Athletics Championships after winning the Diamond League 200m title, earned Bednarek an additional spot for the United States team. Weeks after his injury, Bednarek competed at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, but due to a nerve flare-up, he could only manage a non-qualifying time of 21.50 seconds in his heat, leading to his elimination.

On August 10, 2020, during a season significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bednarek achieved a world-leading time of 19.80 seconds (with a +1.0 m/s wind) at the Star Athletics Sprint Showcase in Montverde, Florida. This performance moved him into a tie for the 25th fastest time on the all-time list at that point.

Bednarek's career continued to ascend in 2021. On August 4, he won the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the men's 200-meter final, setting a new personal best of 19.68 seconds, finishing second only to Andre De Grasse of Canada. On September 9, 2021, Bednarek clinched the 2021 Diamond League 200-meter title at the Weltklasse Zürich in Zürich, Switzerland, winning with a time of 19.70 seconds. Throughout 2021, Bednarek showcased exceptional consistency, recording the most sub-20 second performances in the 200 meters for any athlete in a single season. He achieved 12 total sub-20 performances, with 10 of these being wind-legal. He concluded the season ranked as the No. 1 athlete in the 200 meters by World Athletics.

On July 21, 2022, in Eugene, Oregon, Bednarek earned another silver medal in the 200 meters at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, finishing with a time of 19.77 seconds. In that race, Noah Lyles, whom Bednarek had previously defeated in Tokyo, set a new American record of 19.31 seconds.

In 2024, Bednarek demonstrated his continued prowess by qualifying for the Olympic team in both the 100m and 200m events at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene. He placed second in both races, behind Noah Lyles. In the 200m, Bednarek achieved a personal best of 19.59 seconds, with Lyles winning in 19.53 seconds, both times surpassing Michael Johnson's 1996 meet record of 19.66 seconds. This marked Bednarek's first time qualifying for a global team in the 100m, where he also set a personal best of 9.87 seconds in the final. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Bednarek reached the 100m final, placing seventh with a time of 9.88 seconds. He also advanced to the 200m final, winning his semi-final heat in 20.00 seconds. In the final, Bednarek secured his third Olympic silver medal, finishing second to Letsile Tebogo with a time of 19.62 seconds.

In September 2024, it was announced that Bednarek had signed to compete in the inaugural season of the Michael Johnson-founded Grand Slam Track series.

5. Personal life

Kenneth Bednarek is widely known by his nickname, "Kung Fu Kenny." This moniker originated from his distinctive habit of wearing a Rambo-like tie around his head during races, which became a recognizable part of his athletic persona.

He is a pet owner and has a Husky named Rambo. Bednarek is a practicing Catholic. He is in a relationship with Indian golfer Sharmila Nicollet.

6. Statistics

Kenneth Bednarek's athletic performance data provides a comprehensive overview of his records and achievements in various competitions.