Path of sprinter Kenny Bednarek led to Olympic silver medals. Now 'Kung Fu Kenny' searches for gold.
FILE - Kenneth Bednarek, of the United States, poses after winning the silver medal in the men's 200 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
FILE - Kenneth Bednarek, of the United States, looks back after winning a heat in the men's 100-meter race at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)
FILE - Kenneth Bednarek, of the United States, looks back after winning a heat in the men's 100-meter race at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)
FILE - Kenneth Bednarek, of the United States, poses after winning the silver medal in the men's 200 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
FILE - Kenneth Bednarek, of the United States, looks back after winning a heat in the men's 100-meter race at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)
The path of sprinter Kenny Bednarek has been far from easy or conventional. Plenty of uphill climbs, too.
His experiences, though — foster care, being adopted, going the community college route, constantly overshadowed — has only added power to his alter ego, 'Kung Fu Kenny.' That version of him emerges when he steps on the track and slips on his signature headband.
Advertisement
That version of him looks at his two Olympic silver medals in two ways — reminders, yes, of the success he's had, but a motivator for the success still yet to achieve.
This season, he's sharpened his burst out of the starting blocks and took his nutrition to another level in an effort to turn silver finishes into gold. That starts possibly later this season at world championships in Tokyo and down the road at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
'I know I have the capability of being a champion,' said Bednarek, who races this weekend in Kingston, Jamaica, at the inaugural event of Grand Slam Track, a new professional league. 'I've always just been hungry.'
The path to the Olympics
Advertisement
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he and his fraternal twin brother, Ian, were adopted out of foster care at 4 years old by Mary Ann Bednarek, who'd already taken in two girls. The family moved to Rice Lake in northwest Wisconsin when he was 12.
'I had a lot of issues when I was a kid,' the 26-year-old Kenny Bednarek explained. 'My mom took so much time to help me become the person I am today. I mean, without her love, care and support, I don't know where I would be.
'I might not be 'Kung Fu Kenny.' I might be somewhere stranded. She's the big reason why I'm here today.'
Track, too. Because on the track, Bednarek could let his mind wander — to the places his feet might one day take him.
Advertisement
'Track was just the gateway that let me feel free,' explained Bednarek, who also played football. 'It was just me against the clock."
From Indian Hills to the Olympics
Bednarek didn't go to a big-time track powerhouse out of high school. Instead, he spent a season at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa.
That one season, though, showed Bednarek's vast potential. He won 200 and 400 national titles at the 2019 NJCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Still, he's been largely overlooked in a crowded field of high-profile sprinters that includes Americans standouts Noah Lyles, Fred Kerley and Erriyon Knighton, along with Andre De Grasse of Canada and Botswana's Letsile Tebogo.
Advertisement
Playing second-fiddle used to bother Bednarek and especially his alter ego, 'Kung Fu Kenny.'
'I had a really big chip on my shoulder,' he said. 'It was annoying.'
Winning medals solved that. Maybe not always the favorite in a race, Bednarek always found a way to be in the mix.
Like at the Tokyo Games in 2021, when he finished runner-up to De Grasse in the 200 meters. Or a year later at world championships when he took silver behind Lyles. At the Paris Games last summer, he won another silver in the 200 behind Tebogo.
Last summer's medal remains special because his mom was watching in the stands. She was so happy for him, crying tears of joy, as they embraced after the race.
Advertisement
'Just to be able to shine bright and have my mom witness that, it meant a lot," he said.
One percent better
These days, he's working out in Winter Garden, Florida, under coach Dennis Mitchell. His training group includes Sha'Carri Richardson and Christian Coleman.
'We just have this iron-sharpens-iron mentality," said Bednarek, who's sponsored by Nike. 'We're all making each other better.'
His top task this spring is sharpening his starts out of blocks.
'If I can get that down, I feel like nobody is going to be able to beat me,' said Bednarek, whose top time in the 200 is 19.57 seconds. 'I'm always trying to add something that makes me 1% better.'
Advertisement
For his dedication to nutrition — he's eliminated gluten — and overall health, he credits Sharmila Nicollet, a professional golfer from India who he's been dating since 2020.
'I used to think, 'Oh, I can sleep whenever I want, play video games whenever I want, and I'll be fine,'' Bednarek recounted. 'She opened my eyes. It was like, 'OK, this is how you become an Olympian and a medalist. This is what you've got to do.'"
Grand Slam debut
Bednarek is among the runners of all distances — and hurdlers — taking part this weekend in Grand Slam Track, which was founded by Hall of Famer Michael Johnson. The new league includes stops in Kingston, Miami (May 2-4), Philadelphia (May 30-June 1) and Los Angeles (June 27-29). In Kingston, Bednarek will face Kerley & Co. in the 100 on Friday and again in the 200 on Saturday.
Advertisement
'It's an incredible opportunity just to be able to represent this league,' Bednarek said. 'It's all about speed, personalities and telling great stories.'
Like his.
One question he constantly receives: What's the story behind his alter-ego 'Kung Fu Kenny?' Bednarek said it really stems from his love of anime. His favorite character is Naruto, a young ninja who's seeking recognition.
'He's a very persistent character and doesn't give up no matter what,' Bednarek explained. 'I kind of resonate with that. Whatever you want to achieve, it will not come to you — you have to work for it. You have to go get it.'
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
36 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Don Nelson expresses his disappointment with Luka Doncic trade by wearing the star's shoes
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Hall of Fame coach Don Nelson was not a fan of the Dallas Mavericks trading Luka Doncic — and chose his footwear for Game 2 of the NBA Finals accordingly. Nelson arrived for the news conference announcing him as the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award winner, as selected by the National Basketball Coaches Association, wearing a pair of Doncic's signature Jordan Brand sneaker. The reason: He was showing Doncic — who he calls 'my dear friend' — support. 'As a matter of fact, I want everybody to know I'm wearing Luka's shoes, his new shoes from Nike that just got on the market,' Nelson said. 'I'm wearing them in protest for the trade from Dallas. Tremendous mistake by the Dallas franchise to trade him and I want everybody to know that.' Doncic was traded by Dallas to the Los Angeles Lakers this season for Anthony Davis, a blockbuster that the entire league found stunning. Fans in Dallas were furious for months, though some of that seems to have subsided in recent weeks with the Mavericks winning draft lottery and the chance to draft Cooper Flagg No. 1 overall later this month. Nelson said his philosophy on generational players is the one that Red Auerbach taught him: Don't trade those talents. 'His philosophy was when you have a great player — Bill Russell, (John) Havlicek, Sam Jones, you name 'em — you don't lose that player,' Nelson said. 'You keep him for a lifetime. You put his number up and you honor that player. That's been my philosophy.' Nelson has deep ties to Dallas, so his reaction to the Doncic trade is understandable. He coached the Mavericks for eight seasons and his son, Donnie Nelson, was an executive with Dallas from 2005 through 2021. ___ AP NBA:
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Ryan Fox wins Canadian Open with 'best shot I've ever hit' in playoff to beat Sam Burns
Associated Press CALEDON, Ontario (AP) — Ryan Fox of New Zealand won for the second time in five weeks on the PGA Tour with another memorable shot in a playoff, this time a 3-wood to 7 feet on the fourth extra hole Sunday to beat Sam Burns in the RBC Canadian Open. Fox won the Myrtle Beach Classic last month by chipping in for birdie to win a three-man playoff. This one on the TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley took a little longer. What turned out to be the winning shot might be more memorable. Fox smoked a 3-wood that landed softly just left of the pin and settled 7 feet away. Burns pulled his 3-wood some 55 feet left of the front right pin. He ran his eagle putt 8 feet by and missed that one. Fox missed his eagle try before tapping in for birdie. 'To be honest, Sam and I had a bit of a pillow fight for three holes,' Fox said. 'But that shot I hit on 18, that 3-wood, was probably the best shot I've ever hit. It would have been nice to make the putt. But hey, I'll take it.' Fox holed a birdie putt from just inside 18 feet on the par-5 18th in regulation for a 4-under 66 that allowed him to join Sam Burns at 18-under 262. Burns had finished some two hours earlier with a birdie on the final hole for a 62. They played the 18th four more times — the PGA Tour moved the pin position from far left to front right after two extra holes — and there was nothing compelling about the extra holes. Burns, regarded as one of the best putters on the PGA Tour, had a birdie putt from just over 5 feet on the first playoff for the win. He left that out to the right. The next time down 18, Fox went for the green and pushed his 3-wood. The collar of rough stopped it from going in the water. He pitched to 12 feet and had that birdie putt for the win, but left it a foot short. Pillow fight, indeed. On the third time playing the 18th in overtime, Burns had a lob wedge that was short and to the right, spinning off the green and nearly into the water. Fox hit his 40 feet out to the right. They both made par. Fox delivered the goods on the final hole and now has two wins in just over a month. The victory moved the 38-year-old Fox from No. 75 to No. 32 in the world, getting him into the U.S. Open next week for being among the top 60 in the world ranking. Kevin Yu birdied the last hole for a 66 to finish alone in third, one shot out of the playoff. He narrowly missed out on the top 60 to get to Oakmont next week. But Yu joined Cameron Young and Matt McCarty as earning the top three spots for the British Open next month for players not already eligible. Fox already was in the British Open from his victory in the BMW PGA Championship in 2023, the flagship event on the European tour. Fox now has eight wins worldwide — two on the PGA Tour, four on the European tour and two on the PGA Tour of Australasia. Burns was hopeful of ending more than two years without a victory, his last title coming in the final year of the World Golf Championships-Match Play in 2023. Young shot a 65 to tie for fourth. He was within range of Burns when Young made an incredible par on the 17th, going from the trees on the right to mangled left on the rough, gouging that out to 15 feet and making the putt. But needing birdie on the par-5 closing hole to catch Burns, the clubhouse leader at the time, Young flushed a 3-wood into the breeze and over the green into the trees, leaving him virtually no shot. It took two to get on the green and he made bogey to finish two shots behind. 'I couldn't have hit two better shots on the last hole. I don't hit 3-wood that far, and it's blowing straight into the wind, and it decided to bounce all the way to the back woods,' Young said. 'I thought in the air I was going to have about a 12-footer to win the tournament, and it ended up somewhere I was going to struggle to make par, let alone make a 4. Pretty upset.' ___ AP golf: in this topic
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
George Kirby's 14-strikeout stunner ends Mariners' 5-game skid and turns around his own season
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby gets set to pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby gets set to pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby gets set to pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — By the time George Kirby left the mound for good with 14 strikeouts Sunday, the rangy right-hander had turned his season around in a superb overall performance. A couple of innings later, the Seattle Mariners were also headed in the right direction again with the end of their five-game losing streak. Advertisement Kirby dominated the Los Angeles Angels during the Mariners' 3-2 victory, racking up a career high in strikeouts without walking a batter over seven innings of two-hit, two-run ball. 'That's about as good as I've seen George,' Seattle manager Dan Wilson said. 'He was filling up the zone, but with quality strikes. He just had everything going. ... Pretty exceptional work right there.' Kirby (1-3) matched Miami's Max Meyer for the most strikeouts in a game by a major leaguer this season while earning his first victory of 2025. He retired his first 11 batters and his final 10 while issuing no walks and frustrating the Angels while basically throwing only two pitches — his four-seam fastball and his slider. 'We needed a big one today, and hopefully this sets the tone for us,' Kirby said. 'Hopefully we keep rolling. It's always good when you go out there and give your team the best chance to win after a couple of losses.' Advertisement The Mariners had been losing — and so had Kirby, whose season didn't even begin until May because of a shoulder injury. He lost all three of his previous starts this season, and a line drive even glanced off his face Tuesday against Baltimore, although he was fine. Kirby lowered his season ERA from 8.56 to 6.53 with this outing while looking more like the player who made the AL All-Star team in 2023 and won 27 games over the past two seasons as a workhorse starter in a rotation currently plagued with injuries. 'Everything was working really well today, so it's just a great sign as I'm progressing through the season,' Kirby said. Kirby had only one blip in the entire afternoon: Mike Trout delivered a two-out single in the fourth, and Taylor Ward followed with his 18th homer on a slider that wasn't exactly where Kirby wanted it. Advertisement But Kirby gathered himself and struck out Chris Taylor with a slider on the corner to end the fourth — and then he finished with three consecutive 1-2-3 innings. His seventh was particularly satisfying because he struck out Trout and Ward looking. 'After the game, Dan came to shake my hand (and said), 'Hell yeah, the two guys that got you before, you finished them off,'' Kirby said. 'That's awesome. I'm just really glad I was able to go out there and finish the seventh.' Seattle got another boost because Andrés Muñoz survived the ninth inning, striking out Trout with a runner on first to end it. The closer also got himself headed in the right direction again after blowing back-to-back save opportunities and subsequently getting the past week off. The Mariners are headed to Arizona for a three-game series, and they're hoping Kirby's leadership carries over. Advertisement 'It's probably one of the most important starts we've had, with the way our pitching is going and George being able to come out and put on really the performance of his career,' catcher Mitch Garver said. 'We know who George is, and that's the guy.' ___ AP MLB:
