"Happy with my execution today" - Kenny Bednarek on his first Diamond League win in 2023
Kenny Bednarek secured his first Diamond League win in Brussels at the King Baudouin Stadium on September 7 and 8, 2023.
Bednarek secured his victory by clocking the 200m in 19.79 seconds. Bednarek left behind Britain's Zharnel Hughes who completed the race in 19.82 seconds. Andre De Grasse was the third sprinter to cross the finish line clocking 19.89 seconds.
In Brussels, also known as the Memorial Van Damme which was the 13th meeting of the 2023 Diamond League, Bednarek seized his first victory. He finished second at Doha in men's 200m clocking 20.11 seconds behind Fred Kerley who finished his race in 19.92 seconds.
Bednarek took to his social media to express his joy at securing his first victory and performing the season's best despite battling with the flu.
"Happy with my execution today," he wrote. " First Diamond League win of the year and Season's Best despite having a nasty flu," he added.
"This year has been about overcoming obstacles," Bednarek wrote.
The race unfolded to be a thrilling showdown with Bednarek and Hughes locked in a neck-to-neck competition throughout the race. He is heard expressing the hardships he has gone through in his career in the video posted.
"I mean so far everything that's been trying to get in my path, I've gone over those hurdles and you know, I'm...no matter what happens I'm always gonna be ready," he says.
Kenny Bednarek - The Silver Man
Kenny Bednarek is an Olympic medalist and a world championships medalist. He won silver medals at both events.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he clinched the silver medal in the men's 200m clocking an impressive 19.68 seconds. He was left behind by Andre De Grasse who completed the race in 19.62 seconds with Noah Lyles claiming the third place with a finishing time of 19.74 seconds.
In the 2022 World Athletics Championships, Bednarek once again secured a silver medal in the same event with a time of 19.77 seconds. Noah Lyles won the gold clocking a remarkable 19.31 seconds and Erriyon Knighton had to settle in the third position with a time of 19.80 seconds.
Even at the first meeting of the 2023 Diamond League in Doha, he finished behind Fred Kerley, and hence his victory in Brussels becomes all the more important.
Kenny Bednarek has been through multiple injuries this season including his hamstring injury just a month before the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships where he again finished in second place behind Erriyon Knighton clocking 19.82 seconds. He candidly admitted on his social media that these injuries contributed to the decline in his performance.
"Overtraining can lead to injuries. That's what happened to me this year," Kenny wrote.
The 24-year-old is still in the early stages of his career and has already earned a lot on the biggest of the stages. Over the years, he will develop his game and resonate it with his performances.