Who is Kenny Bednarek's coach? All about the man who also trains Sha'Carri Richardson

By Soumik Bhattacharya

Modified Jul 19, 2024 17:47 GMT

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, Kenny Bednarek, is currently coached by the former Olympic gold medalist, Dennis Mitchell. The 25-year-old Bednarek has been associated with Mitchell since 2019, when he signed a deal with the global brand Nike and was sent out to Florida for his training and improvement.

It was during this period that the Oklahoma native got in touch with Mitchell, and since then, they have been a very formidable pair. Kenny Bednarek's recent performance at the US Olympic Trials (he qualified for both the men's 100m and 200m) is strong evidence of the progress that Bednarek has made under Mitchell's coaching.

Mitchell's sheer experience of global tournaments has assisted Bednarek superbly in his career in the last few years, where he has won medals in major events such as the Olympics and World Championships.

A three-time Olympic medalist himself, Mitchell's experience includes a gold in the 4x100m relay at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Beyond the Olympics, he also boasts two World Championship gold medals, from Tokyo in 1991 and Stuttgart in 1993.

Following his retirement from track and field, Mitchell has devoted most of his time to coaching athletes such as Bednarek, Aaron Brown, Justin Gatlin, etc. Mitchell also coaches the young track and field sensation, Sha'Carri Richardson, and has helped her clinch major titles at the World Championships.

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All you need to know about Kenny Bednarek's run so far in the 2024 season

Kenny Bednarek at the 2024 Track and Field Trials

Kenny Bednarek's 2024 season has been nothing short of exemplary. From the Tom Jones Memorial to the US Olympic Track and Field Trials, Bednarek has performed extremely well.

At the trials, Bednarek secured his spot on the second Olympic team of his career with second-place finishes in both the 100m and 200m, falling short only to Noah Lyles. Building on this momentum, he also delivered a stellar performance at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, claiming victory in the men's 200m with an impressive time of 19.89 seconds.

Bednarek also clinched top finishes at the Kip Keino Classic (100m) with a run time of 9.91 seconds. His dominance continued in the 200m, winning both the Miramar Invitational (20.35 seconds) and the Seashore Group Doha Meeting (a scorching 19.67 seconds).