"Can't wait to return with my mom, who has Polish roots" - Kenny Bednarek after running at the Silesia Diamond League for the first time

By Animesh Pandey

Modified Aug 26, 2024 17:37 GMT

Kenny Bednarek did not have the best time at the Silesia Diamond League, finishing third in the men's 200m event. However, the American sprinter is looking forward to returning to Poland next time with his mother.

In an Instagram post, Bednarek reflected on how he felt about running in the Silesia leg of the IAAF Diamond League for the first time and why it was special for him.

Kenny Bednarek wrote:

"The love and support I received from Poland were truly incredible. I'm thrilled to have run here for the first time and can't wait to return with my mom, who has Polish roots."

Bednarek finished third in the men's 200m event in the Silesia Diamond League with a timing of 20 seconds. Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic set a new national record as he finished second with a time of 19.86 seconds. On the other hand, Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo continued his brilliant form and won the race after clocking a time of 19.83 seconds.

Kenny Bednarek and his twin brother Ian were left by their biological parents in foster care. They were eventually adopted by Mary Bednarek, who has ancestral roots in Poland. The three moved to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, where Kenny Bednarek grew up and completed his primary education.

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Kenny Bednarek's performances at the Paris Olympics

Kenny Bednarek with his 200m silver medal from the Paris Olympics 2024 [Image Source: Getty]

Unlike in Tokyo in 2021, Kenny Bednarek entered the Paris Olympics as a strong contender for a podium finish in not just 200m, but also 100m and 4x100m relay.

The American sprinter had recorded a personal best of 9.87 seconds in the runup to the Paris Olympics. However, his final performance of 9.88 seconds was not enough to give him a place even in the top five, let alone an Olympic medal.

The 25-year-old managed to avoid a last-place finish as he came seventh, with Oblique Seville of Jamaica finishing last with a timing of 9.91 seconds.

Bednarek maintained his silver medal position from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a timing of 19.62 seconds in the men's 200m at the Paris Olympics. Letsile Tebogo of Botswana won a historic Olympic gold with a new African record of 19.46 seconds, while Noah Lyles, who had won the 100m event, managed to finish third with a timing of 19.70 seconds.

However, the 4x100m relay event is something that Kenny Bednarek would like to forget. Team USA qualified for the finals in style and was aiming for their first Olympic gold medal in the last 24 years. However, the exchange of the baton between Bednarek and Christian Coleman turned out to be messy, as it happened outside the takeover zone, for which the American team was disqualified from the finals.