Kenneth Bednarek is back in the spotlight, and this time he’s shining from the top of the Diamond League podium! In an electrifying 200m final in Brussels, Bednarek blazed across the finish line in an impressive 19.67 seconds, clinching a well-earned victory. But this wasn’t just any win—Bednarek finally got the better of his fierce competitor, Letsile Tebogo, the reigning 200m Olympic Champion. Tebogo, despite his best efforts, couldn’t match Bednarek’s lightning speed and finished second with a time of 19.80 seconds.

Rounding out the podium was Alexander Ogando from the Dominican Republic, who clocked in at 19.97. But for Kenny, this victory wasn’t just another race—it was the sweet taste of redemption. After a season filled with ups and downs and a few hard-fought losses to Tebogo, this win holds special significance. As track and field legend Justin Gatlin once said, Bednarek has been itching to break out of the “silver bracket,” and now, he’s spectacularly done just that.

And at the Diamond League finals, Kenny finally did! Coming off the unfortunate loss at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Tebogo took home the gold, this win meant so much more than just crossing the finish line first. Justin Gatlin, Bednarek’s former mentor and sprinting legend could not have been prouder. In a recent episode of Gaitlin’s podcast, ‘Ready, Set, Go’ he broke down Kenny’s 200m win.

“He (Kenny)  put together a really good season,” Gatlin said. “It shows consistency. That’s the respect that you have to have for his process. It showed that no matter where he is in the world, he is one of the best in the world.” Gatlin also mentioned how Bednarek’s development as an athlete has been a great journey in itself. “This was a great tester for him, that he can go out there and run that time he needs to run to seal the deal for those big moments, which is going in 2025. He’s steadily growing. He’s right there with them, dog,” added Gaitlin.

As the playful banter continued, Justin Gaitlin went on to talk about Kenneth Bednarek’s coach, Dennis Mitchell. Imagining Dennis’s voice in Kenny’s head, Gaitin went on to say, “Dennis is all like, ‘Man, you better make that separation, man. He gonna come off that turn… just keep on running, don’t even look back.’” And Bednarek followed that voice to the T! But this Diamond League win was more than just a race — it was redemption in the making.

Was the Diamond League an iconic moment of redemption?

Kenny Bednarek’s journey to this win wasn’t an easy one. Weeks before his Diamond League finals, in Paris, Tebogo had the upper hand. An upper hand that unfortunately caused Bednarek to settle for silver once again after his Silver win at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. When asked if there was an element of revenge in this Diamond League victory, Bednarek didn’t hold back.

“A little bit,” Kenny admitted. “He’s had a few wins over me; that’s because I didn’t execute the race I needed to. So to come out at the end of the season with the win, gain my revenge from the Olympics, it feels great.” Winning sure does feel good, but losing? “No one wants to lose, I hate losing,” he shared. The winning moment against Tebogo was also a moment of Kenny reclaiming his confidence.

“This just helps build confidence for next year. Just doing what I know what I’m supposed to do and living up to my expectations,” Kenny reflected. “Overall, this season, a lot of ups and downs. I had four PBs. I did a lot this year, and next year I’m going to be dangerous.” One thing is clear at the end of it all. Kenny Bednarek with his renewed sense of self, will be back to do great things in 2025.