"I'm going to start crying"- Kenny Bednarek's mother 'overwhelmed' following son's silver medal victory at Paris Olympics

By Abhiruchi Rout

Modified Aug 22, 2024 08:16 GMT

Kenny Bednarek’s mother, Mary Bednarek, expressed her delight after her son won the silver medal in the men’s 200m at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This marked Kenny's second consecutive Olympic silver in the event, following his runner-up finish in the same discipline at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Mary Bednarek has been a pivotal figure in Kenny’s life, and has also contributed significantly to his athletic career. In addition, she was the driving force behind Kenny's pursuit of his dreams.

Following Kenny’s silver medal win, Mary expressed her joy and mentioned how fortunate she felt to have him as her son. In an interaction with Coy Wire, the USA television anchor, correspondent, and former NFL player, she said,

“I feel so overwhelmed! I’m going to start crying. He’s had his disappointments. I just knew he had it in him. The smile on his face said it all. He’s one in a million and I’m so lucky he’s my son.”

She also spoke about Kenny competing in the men’s 4x100m relay finals, where he is set to run the third leg. She expressed confidence in his ability to win gold in the event, saying,

“He’s leg three and he’s getting gold!”

Notably, Kenny Bednarek and his twin brother Ian were adopted by Mary in 2002. Following their adoption, both Kenny and Ian relocated to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, where Mary dedicated herself to raising them and providing them with a great life.

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Kenny Bednarek reflects on how strict his mother was while raising him during his childhood

Kenny Bednarek at Paris Olympics 2024 (Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images)

In Nick Diller’s episode 62 of The Chasing Curiosity podcast, Kenny Bednarek reflected on Mary's strict parenting style. Here's what the 25-year-old said:

“She was really strict. I didn't even have a phone until I would say my freshman year and the phone that she gave me was a flip phone. It wasn't even a touch screen. So I didn't get a touch screen until my senior year.”

He also mentioned that Mary didn't allow him to get his driver's license until he was a senior.

“She didn't let me get it until I was a senior. I was like I can get my driver's license. Why can't we do it? She's like, oh, you're not ready. You're not old enough. So yeah, she just, you know, I think she kind of raised me and my sibling just kind of old fashioned,” he stated.

He further added:

“And honestly, I rather have it that way because it helped me be the person I am today.”

Besides his mother, Mary Bednarek, Kenny has another supportive figure in his life, his girlfriend Sharmila Nicollet, with whom he has been together for more than four years.