After path of U.S. sprinter Kenny Bednarek led to Olympic silver, he searches for gold

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.

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 to turn silver finishes into gold. That starts possibly in September at the World Athletics 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."

Born in Tulsa, Okla., he and his fraternal twin brother, Ian, were adopted out of foster care at four 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.

"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 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.

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 favourite 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. 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.

"Just to be able to shine bright and have my mom witness that, it meant a lot," he said.

1 per cent better

These days, he's working out in Winter Garden, Fla., 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."

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 medallist. This is what you've got to do.'"

Grand Slam Track 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.

"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 favourite 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."