Kenny Bednarek takes to the track in Paris for the first time on Saturday for the 100 meters first round. The finals in the event will be held Sunday. Both the 200 meters and 4x100 relay will be run next week.
Travis Nyhus tnyhus@chronotype.com July 31, 2024
Kenny Bednarek is ready to show he’s the best in the world.
As the Rice Lake sprinter readies to take to the track at the Paris Olympics this weekend he’s out to prove he’s the man to beat on the world stage. After winning the silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics, Bednarek will run in both the 100 and 200, along with being a part of the 4x100 relay during his time in Paris.
In the years since Tokyo, Bednarek attributes his consistent performance at the highest level to his work on the mental side of the sport.
“Everything I’ve stepped up off the track has helped me with my performance on the track,” he said. “The sky is the limit. I’m finally living up to my expectations and am ready to go for Paris.”
Those wishing to see Bednarek’s Paris debut will have to wake up early Saturday. The first round heats of the 100 begin at 4:55 a.m. central time. It can be streamed on Peacock and cable channel E will have live coverage.
The semifinals and finals will both be on Sunday and a watch party will be held at the Rice Lake High School auditorium. The semifinals are at 1 p.m. and the finals at 2:50 p.m. Doors open at the high school at 12:30 p.m., and the Rice Lake All Sports Booster Club will be selling hot dogs and burgers. The TV broadcast can be viewed on NBC or on cable channel USA.
On the year Bednarek has the eighth fastest time in the 100 but is only a tenth off the world lead and just a hundredth from the top five. It could be a battle between the U.S. and Jamaica for gold. Jamaican Kishane Thompson holds the world lead this year after running in 9.77 seconds in late June and Thompson’s fellow countryman Obilque Seville ranks fourth. Two hundredths behind Thompson this year is Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya. Bednarek beat Omanyala in Kenya back in April.
Joining Bednarek on Team USA and threats for gold are Noah Lyles, the defending World champion, and Fred Kerley, who took the silver medal at the last Olympics. The defending gold medalist is Italy’s Marcell Jacobs, and Canada’s Andre De Grasse took bronze last Olympics.
“I’m definitely excited to go out to Paris and show off what I’ve got for the rest of the world in this 100 meter and call myself the fastest man in the world after this year is done,” Bednarek said.
For the 200 Bednarek will look to add a gold medal to go along with his silver from Toyko. Until the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in late June, Bednarek held the world lead, and he still ranks second in the world. His personal best 19.59 only trails Lyles’ 19.53 from the trials this year. Lyles is the defending world champion and American record holder at 19.31. At the Tokyo Olympics Bednarek beat out Lyles, who got the bronze. De Grasse is the defending Olympic champion, as his time of 19.62 was the only time faster than Bednarek in Tokyo.
Among the youngest medal threats in the 200 are 20-year-old American Erriyon Knighton and 21-year-old Letsile Tebogo of Botswana. Knighton made his season debut at the trials and claimed the last spot on Team USA. At the age of 17 in 2021, Knighton was fourth at the Olympics. Tebogo has emerged on the world stage in the years since the last Olympics and took bronze at last year’s World Athletics Championships.
The 200 first round is Monday at 12:55 p.m. and the semifinals will be Aug. 7 at 1 p.m. Both will be broadcast on NBC. At 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 8 is the 200 finals, which will be on NBC. The high school auditorium will be open to watch both the semifinals and finals.
In an interview with NBC during opening ceremony programming, Bednarek said he’s out to prove one thing in Paris.
“That I’m the best. I’m going in with that mentality — I’m the best,” he said. “I’ve competed against all these guys before, and I’m just going to go out and show off.”
Bednarek is also a part of the 4x100 relay, and he helped the U.S. get into the field in winning gold at the World Athletics Relay in Bahamas in May. Bednarek ran the second leg of the relay as Courtney Lindsay, Kyree King and Lyles ran what is still a world leading 37.4.
The U.S. has struggled in the 4x100 relay in recent Olympics. Despite having a record 15 gold medals in history, it hasn’t been since 2004 that the U.S. won a medal in the event. In 2008, 2016 and 2021 the Americans had baton passing failures that prevented the team from getting a medal, and in 2012 the U.S. was disqualified post race as the International Olympic Committee requested medals be returned following a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency suspension of Tyson Gay.
Bednarek wasn’t on the relay team in Tokyo when the Americans failed to reach the final after taking sixth in the semis. Although he ran the second leg of the relay in the U.S. win in Bahamas, Bednarek has reportedly been in the third leg during relay camp, which would be running around the curve he’s very familiar with from his 200s.
The first round of the 4x100 relay is Aug. 8 at 4:35 a.m. with the finals Aug. 9 at 1:30 p.m. The U.S. does not need to have the same group of runners compete in the first round as in the finals.
Rice Lake has fully gotten behind its Olympian with yard signs throughout the city and beyond, and businesses showing support with signs and messages on their digital display. Still underlooked on the global stage despite Olympic and world medals, Bednarek said the support of his hometown and home state means a lot to him as he gets set to run in Paris.
“I’ve had a lot of great days in my life, but today is truly special,” Bednarek posted to social media following the opening ceremony. “The outpouring of support I’ve received online, but especially back home in Wisconsin and Rice Lake, has been so touching. Many of you know my story and understand that my life wasn’t always like this. I once felt left behind and like I didn’t have a home. But today, I couldn’t be further from that person. I am so proud to represent the United States, Wisconsin, and Rice Lake. I will not let you down.”
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