“What is the one thing that you would tell young Kenny?” asked an unnamed man in Kenny Bednarek’s most recent Instagram video. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist faced an uncertain future until he met Mary Bednarek. Bednarek adopted the Olympian and his twin brother, opening up opportunities that he may have never got otherwise. So Kung Fu Kenny had a message for his younger self.

“One thing I would tell young Kenny was, ‘Yeah, you were adopted.'” but “found a mother that loves you and nurtures you.” said the sprinter. His words indicated that as a child, the track and field champion felt anxious about the future. However, Mary Bednarek appeared as a savior who let the athlete carve his own path to success.

Whether it was in academia or sports, Bednarek’s adoptive mother stood beside him. In fact, the Olympian had originally hoped to attend university after Junior College. “Obviously God had a different plan,” Noah Lyles’ teammate said in 2020. “The road to glory was unconventional, but you’re on the verge of Olympic greatness,” Kenny Bednarek sprinter said.

However, no matter how winding his path to success got, Kenny Bednarek found his mother beside him. Even to this day, you can see Mary Bednarek cheering her son from the stands. She was there to shout “Go, Kenny!” even as the stadium felt silent right before the 200m dash at the 2023 Prefontaine Classic. The 25-year-old cherishes his mother and finds inspiration in her.

“The heart that my mum had, the perseverance to go through adopting four kids by herself and sticking it through,” Bednarek told Olympics.com. “She’s inspired me to keep living my dream because I wouldn’t be here without her,” the Olympic champion added. However, today, Kung Fu Kenny’s mother isn’t his only supporter.

Kenny Bednarek revealed his biggest supporter

Last week, as final prep for the Paris Olympics was in full swing, the 25-year-old shared an image with his “biggest supporter.” As Kung Fu Kenny held up his 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials medal to the camera, the woman who smiled beside him was Sharmilla Nicollet. Nicollet, a golfer based in Bengaluru, India, has been with Bednarek since 2020.

In these four years, the Epson Tour golfer has become an important part of Bednarek’s life. Just like his mother, Nicollet has supported her boyfriend. Not only was she present at the U.S. Trials, but she has also traveled to Paris. Earlier, the golfer posted an Instagram story where she shared a glimpse of the Champs-Élysées.

After winning silver in Tokyo, Kenny Bednarek is eager to upgrade his Olympic medal to gold. However, irrespective of the outcome, the athlete is thankful for his unique journey to the Olympics and to the woman who made it possible.