Kenny Bednarek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kenny Bednarek
OLY

Bednarek at the 2022 World Athletics Championships
Personal information
Born	(1998-10-14) October 14, 1998 (age 26) Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Sprints 200m/100m
College team	Indian Hills Warriors
Turned pro	2019
Coached by	Dennis Mitchell
Achievements and titles
World finals	2022 Eugene 200m finals silver medalist 19.77
Olympic finals	2020 Tokyo 200m finals silver medalist 19.68
Personal best(s)	100 m: 9.86 (2025) 200 m: 19.57 (2024) 400 m: 44.73 (2019)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Silver 2020 Tokyo 200 m Silver 2024 Paris 200 m World Championships Silver 2022 Eugene 200 m World Relays Gold 2024 Nassau 4×100 m relay Silver 2025 Guangzhou 4×100 m relay Diamond League 2021 200 m 2024 200 m

Kenneth Bednarek, born on October 14, 1998, is a super-fast American runner. He's known for sprinting, especially in the 200-meter race. Kenny has won silver medals at the Olympic Games in 2020 and 2024. He also earned a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in 2022.

Kenny Bednarek's Early Life and Running Start

Kenny Bednarek was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He and his twin brother, Ian, were adopted by Mary Bednarek. They moved to Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Both brothers started running youth track when they were in second grade.

High School Success in Track and Football

While running for Rice Lake High School, Kenny won seven state titles in track. He also helped his team win a championship in the 4x400 relay race. In 2018, his 200-meter time of 20.43 seconds was the fastest among high school runners in the nation.

Kenny also played football at Rice Lake. He was a wide receiver and kick returner. He scored 17 touchdowns during his junior and senior years. His Rice Lake Warriors teams won state championships in both track and football during his senior year. Kenny still holds Wisconsin records for the 200 and 400 meters.

Collegiate Running Career

Kenny Bednarek did not meet the academic requirements for a big four-year university. So, he decided to go to Indian Hills Community College in Iowa. He said he had planned to go to a university after junior college. But things worked out differently for him.

Amazing Speed at Indian Hills

At Indian Hills, Kenny ran the fastest indoor 200-meter race in the U.S. It was the second-fastest time in the world for that indoor season.

On May 17, 2019, when he was 20 years old, Kenny ran an incredibly fast 200 meters. He finished in 19.49 seconds. This happened at a high altitude with a very strong wind helping him. The next day, he showed his speed again. He ran 19.82 seconds into a headwind. On the same day, he also ran the 400 meters in 44.73 seconds. He became the national champion in both events for junior colleges.

Only one other person, Isaac Makwala from Botswana, has ever run a 200-meter race under 20 seconds and a 400-meter race under 45 seconds on the same day. Kenny was the youngest athlete and the only American to do this. Because of his amazing achievement, Kenny was named the "USATF Athlete of the Week" in May 2019.

Kenny Bednarek's Professional Journey

Kenny Bednarek competing at the 2019 World Athletics Championships.

In July 2019, Kenny left Indian Hills and signed a professional contract with Nike. He started training in Florida with Justin Gatlin, a former world champion sprinter. Kenny said that Nike wanted him to train there, and he trusted their plan.

He mentioned that he started as a 400-meter runner in high school. But he successfully switched to the 200 meters. He also thought about trying the 100 meters in the future. But the 200 meters was his main event at that time.

Competing on the World Stage

At the 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Kenny made it to the 200 meters final. He had a hamstring injury during the race but still finished. Because the winner, Noah Lyles, got a special entry to the World Championships, Kenny was also able to compete. Even with his injury, Kenny ran in the 2019 World Athletics Championships. However, he couldn't qualify for the next round because of a nerve issue.

In 2020, during a shorter season due to COVID-19, Kenny ran a world-leading time of 19.80 seconds in the 200 meters. This was a very fast time for him.

On August 4, 2021, Kenny won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the 200-meter final. His time was 19.68 seconds. Later that year, on September 9, 2021, he won the Diamond League 200-meter title in Zürich, Switzerland. He finished in 19.70 seconds. In 2021, Kenny had 12 races where he ran the 200 meters in under 20 seconds. This was more than any other athlete that year. He ended the season ranked number one in the 200 meters by World Athletics.

On July 21, 2022, Kenny won another silver medal in the 200 meters at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon. His time was 19.77 seconds. Noah Lyles, who Kenny had beaten in Tokyo, set a new American record in that race.

In 2024, Kenny qualified for the Olympic team again. He placed second in both the 100m and 200m races at the U.S. Olympic trials. Noah Lyles won both races. In the 200m, Kenny ran his personal best time of 19.59 seconds. This was the first time Kenny made a global team for the 100m race. He also ran a personal best of 9.87 seconds in the 100m final.

At the Paris Olympics in 2024, Kenny made it to the 100m final and finished 7th. He also qualified for the 200m final. In that final, he won another silver medal with a time of 19.62 seconds, finishing behind Letsile Tebogo.

In September 2024, it was announced that Kenny joined the new Grand Slam Track series. At the first event in Kingston, Jamaica, Kenny won in his category. He won both the 100m and 200m races there.

Kenny Bednarek's Personal Life

Kenny Bednarek's nickname is "Kung Fu Kenny." He got this name because he wears a tie around his head during races, like the character Rambo.

He has a pet Husky dog named Rambo.

Kenny is Catholic. He is dating Indian golfer Sharmila Nicollet.

Statistics

Here are some of Kenny Bednarek's best times. This information comes from his World Athletics profile.

Personal Best Times

Major Competition Results

Representing the  United States

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Time	Notes
2019	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	7th (Heat)	200 m	21.50
2021	Müller Grand Prix Gateshead	Gateshead, England	1st	200 m	20.33
	Doha Diamond League	Doha, Qatar	1st	200 m	19.88
	U.S. Olympic Trials	Eugene, Oregon	4th	100 m	9.89	PB
			2nd	200 m	19.78
	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	2nd	200 m	19.68	PB
	Prefontaine Classic	Eugene, Oregon	2nd	200 m	19.80
	Weltklasse Zürich Diamond League Final	Zürich, Switzerland	1st	200 m	19.70
2022	USATF Championships	Eugene, Oregon	4th	200 m	19.87
	World Championships		2nd	200 m	19.77	SB
2023	USATF Championships	Eugene, Oregon	2nd	200 m	19.82	SB
	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	5th	200 m	20.07
2024	World Relays	Nassau, Bahamas	1st	4 × 100 m relay
	U.S. Olympic Trials	Eugene, Oregon	2nd	100 m	9.87	PB
			2nd	200 m	19.59	PB
	Olympic Games	Paris, France	2nd	200 m	19.62
			–	4 × 100 m relay	DQ
2025	World Relays	Guangzhou, China	2nd	4 × 100 m relay	37.66	SB

Circuit Wins

• Diamond League (200 m)
  • 2021: Gateshead, Doha, Zürich