By Paras Haji
BENGALURU, Oct 6 (Reuters) – Kenny Bednarek says he is gunning for gold at next year’s world championships in Beijing and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 after shedding his “silver man” tag with a sprint double at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship last month.
The American has been a perennial contender over 200 metres, winning two Olympic and two world championships silver medals, but his breakthrough sprint double in Budapest offered proof he is a threat over both distances on the big stage.
Bednarek, 27, told Reuters in a video interview that his multiple runner-up finishes had left him wanting more.
“It’s one of the most important things to be somebody who’s always there, but it’s also a bittersweet situation because … you’re clearly one of the best but not the best,” he said.
“That was the thing I wanted to improve on going into this year, hit a lot of good times and get some wins here and there. My goal was to make sure to put everything together when it mattered the most.
“Finally getting global championships, gold medals, it was a sigh of relief. You’ve probably heard people call me the ‘silver man’ and all that. So it was getting that stigma off of me and proving myself right.”
The headband-wearing American, nicknamed “Kung Fu Kenny”, finished seventh in the Paris Olympics 100m final but said the work he has been doing to improve his start has been paying off.
With sprint king Usain Bolt watching from the stands in Budapest, Bednarek clocked 9.85 seconds to beat Jamaican world champion Oblique Seville.
“My Achilles heel has always been my reaction time and sometimes maybe just not getting out of the blocks the way I wanted to,” said Bednarek, who posted a personal best of 9.79 seconds in the 100m last year.
“When we were going into this year, it was about being consistent and more intentional with what I was doing coming out of the blocks, not trying to sit in when the gun goes off.”
‘CHANGE MY LIFE’
Winning the 200m in Budapest over a field that included 2020 Olympic champion Andre De Grasse and Paris Games gold medallist Letsile Tebogo was a huge confidence booster, he said.
“Winning the 100m and 200m, especially in the fashion I did doing four races in two days, that made my confidence go through the roof,” he added.
“It’s something I’ve been trying to do over the last few years and I was finally able to. Knowing exactly what I did, the preparation and work I put in leading up to the races gives me a blueprint of what I need to do in the future.
“I’m very confident doing the same thing, going to the world championships and the Olympics.”
Bednarek looked forward to competing at an Olympics on home soil in 2028 and said winning gold would be life changing.
“I think it plays a little bit of a role … it’s in Los Angeles, so all my family members will definitely be able to go,” he added.
“It definitely adds a lot more motivation, being able to win a gold or more than one. The whole of the US will be watching. I think it also would be a bit easier just because we don’t have to travel and deal with jet lag.
“I think winning those gold medals will change my life and other people’s lives. A lot more opportunities would be open. We’ll see what happens.”
(Reporting by Paras J. Haji in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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