While the world looked in shock that the star of the American sprint Noah Lyles was withdrawn from the track in wheelchair at the Paris Olympic Games from last year, another American sprinter shared a special moment with his mother.
Kenny Bednarek had just finished in advance on the favorite Lyles in the 200m final to win his second successive silver medal, losing only against Letsile Tebogo from Botswana.
The first person that Bednarek sought in the crowd on this dramatic night of August was her proud mother Mary, who was in tears when she hugged her adopted son.
“She has been my no. 1 supporter from the first day. She was the biggest influence on my life, “the 26 -year -old woman, known as” Kung Fu Kenny “for her signature banner, explains the Daily Mail.
“If it was not for her, for having adopted my brother and me and give me the opportunity to continue athletics, I have no idea where I would be.
“Before being adopted, I was in a worse situation, so I was just happy to have someone like her to take care of me, love me and feed me.”
The star of the American team Kenny Bednarek finished second in the 200m Olympic final at the Paris Games from last year
The first person that the star of the track sought in the crowd after winning the silver medal was her proud mother Mary
Olympian and his twin brother Ian were adopted by Mary at the age of four and moved to Wisconsin
Born in Oklahoma, Bednarek and his twin brother Ian were abandoned by their biological parents and rebounded between the reception houses before being adopted by Mary at the age of four and moved to Wisconsin.
This part of the Bednarek background has been well covered and is in the second season of the Netflix Sprint series.
What has not been shared so far, however, are the heartbreaking memories that Bednarek has of his first traumatic life.
“I remember three things, but these are not good memories,” he recalls. “One of the memories I have is to do something bad when I was a child and, as a punishment, they put me in the freezer.
“I don’t know if it was my mother or my father or who was there. But it was a bit: “You will be put in the freezer a bit like punishment”.
“Another time, I remember woke up in the middle of the night and have a bloody nose. It was nothing crazy, but not a good memory. And then we were playing football at some point inside the house with one of my brothers, and he ended up embarking on an accident and had to go to the hospital.
“That’s almost everything. Nothing really good. This is why I say to myself: “Ok, if I was still with my biological parents, I don’t know where I would be”, because the memories I have at the moment, they are not good. “”
Despite such horrible memories, Bednarek is always curious to know more about his biological parents. He declared on Sprint last year that he would try to find his biological family – which includes two other brothers and sisters – if he won gold at the Olympic Games. Although he is not victorious in Paris 2024, Bednarek remains eager to find out about his inheritance.
“I really have this curiosity to just see what they look like,” he says. “When my brother and I were adopted, nothing left for us to have an idea. I don’t even know my parents’ names.
“I don’t think I want to do it because I want to establish a relationship. I just want to know because it’s like a missing part of a puzzle.
“I’m going to be bald when I’m 50?” Do I have healthy things that I need to worry? This is just something I have to do in the future.
Bednarek, represented with his family and her adoptive girlfriend, has already spoken of her childhood on the Netflix Sprint series
The 26 -year -old, who is “ confident ” about the next track season, holds his silver medal at the Stade de France last summer
Bednarek’s journey is an inspiring story to overcome adversity through sport, and he hopes that it can motivate other children who have had a difficult start in life.
“This is something I really want to do, to be the plan for the young generation and to show them that no matter the history you come from, you can reach anything,” he said.
“Coming from the host family and adoption gave me the ability to persevere through everything. This gave me this dynamism and the additional motivation to be the best possible.
“It made me a hard worker. I had this grain all my life. Whatever the situation I put in a way, I always end up getting out of there and reaching my goals.
Bednarek’s next goal is to win the inaugural edition of Grand Slam Track, the new series of large -sized tracks launched by the legendary Olympian Michael Johnson.
The American star has registered to participate in the four meetings of the new league, which begins in Jamaica today. The athletes will then participate in three other meetings in Miami, Philadelphia and Los Angeles in the next two months.
Bednarek run in the short category of sprints – the 100m and 200m – with a record price of $ 100,000 on the line at each event.
“For some athletes, it will be money that changes life,” said Bednarek. “The fact that the bag is much larger, I love it, because we are all high -end elite athletes. And I think it’s time that we are paid for all the hard work we do. It’s good for sport.
“We don’t want athletics to be only every four years when everyone listens. MJ does a good job by promoting sport and gives us the opportunity to try to enlarge sport here.
The star of the American sprint is nicknamed “Kung Fu Kenny” because of his signature banner
Bednarek signed up for Grand Slam Track, the new series of large -scale tracks launched by the Olympian veteran Michael Johnson (photo)
“This is obviously not going to change everything overnight, but many people have talked about changing sport for many years, and finally takes the initiative to try to do it.
“It’s just a springboard. Hopefully this will change the trajectory of the place where sport is heading.
Bednarek will compete with his colleagues “runners” – Fred Kerley in the United States, British Zharnel Hughes and the oblique of Jamaica – in the four Slams. Four other “challengers” will compose the field with each event.
Is he confident? “Very,” he replies. “My block starts are much better than they have ever been. I just have to be myself, have fun, and if I run my race as I need it, then I will win.
A particular intrigue is head-to-head from Bednarek with Kerley, the 100m Olympic bronze medalist and former world champion, who made the headlines in January when he was taken and arrested by police following a confrontation in Miami.
In February, Miami-Dade state lawyers said they planned to prosecute Kerley for accusations of Battery on an agent responsible for the application of laws and resistant to arrest. He pleaded not guilty.
“Fred is Fred,” said Bednarek of his American relay teammate. “It’s a big thunderstorm, so I have to answer in kind. But once we enter this line, whether it is Fred or someone else, I’m just going to compete and try to shout her ass.
Bednarek will compete with his colleagues “ runners ” – Fred Kerley American, British Zharnel Hughes and the oblique of Jamaica – in the four Slams who start in Jamaica today
Bednarek accused his rival of Sprint Noah Lyles, illustrated, of being “frightened” to run in the Grand Slam Track
An American that Bednarek will not face is Lyles. The 100m Olympic champion first refused to join the new Johnson league because there was no major broadcast partner. However, transactions have since been signed with NBC and the CW in the United States, and TNT sports in the United Kingdom.
“He said that at the beginning, but all these things are here now,” said Bednarek. “So it’s a bit like:” Why are you not here? “I just don’t think he wants to compete with us. He is afraid!
“Obviously, he is a phenomenal athlete and he does his thing every year. But he is not one to really want to run everyone consecutive, that’s what the Grand Chelem will do.
“If you want to earn your money, you want to win all these races, you have to fight us four times in a row. At the start of the season, he is not the type to really try to compete with me, Fred and all of us, so many times.
Bednarek will have to wait later in the summer before resuming Lyles – the two who should compete at the Tokyo World Championships in September.
And Bednarek has great hopes for the competition, which is the highest point of the track season. He hoped to imitate what Lyles achieved in the last Budapest championships in 2023 by winning the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay titles.
“I try to get three gold medals,” he adds. “I am completely able to do so. This is the goal.
“My departure was the best it has ever been, so the sky is the limit for me. I am really excited. I can’t wait to start running.
