Kenny Bednarek had an incredible moment in Brussels, sprinting to a victory that meant the world to him. This victory was particularly satisfying because it marked the end of his challenging losing streak against Letsile Tebogo. The last time Bednarek outpaced Tebogo was at the semifinals of the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, where he won by just 0.01 seconds. Since then, it felt like Bednarek always finished with silver or bronze while Tebogo took home the gold. But finally, that all changed!

With a 19.67-second finish, Bednarek not only claimed the win but also brought Tebogo’s impressive streak to a halt. Out of eleven 200m races this year, Tebogo had won nine, and his unbeaten run since Monaco had everyone talking. For Bednarek, this victory was about more than just the time—it was his hard work.

As he crossed that finish line, it was clear that all his sacrifices had paid off. Recently, he opened up about how he achieved this success on his YouTube channel, Kenny Bednarek, OLY.

In discussing his preparations for the Paris competition, he shared his excitement. He noted that many track and field athletes don’t hit their prime until around 26, 27, or 28, and that’s just around the corner for him. “I’m just hungry and ready to go for next year, looking to have a dominant streak. I mean, that’s what I need and want,” he said. He also talked about the sacrifices he’s made to reach this point, mentioning the hard work involved.

“The work I had to put in to get to this point, um, it’s a lot of work. Um, I had to make a lot of sacrifices when it comes to diet and sleep. I had to cut off social media. Um, I just had to make sure to be 110% just about track and field.”

He talked about how his fine-tuning before the Olympics really focused on improving his starts, which he’s always wanted to get better at. Over the last four years, his block work has come a long way—it’s ten times better now! He knows of hitting those great times, and by paying attention to the little details, he feels he can be more consistent and deliver on race day.

However, one of America’s sprint legends has confidently stated that Kenny Bednarek is primed and ready to take on both Letsile Tebogo and Noah Lyles in the 200m.

Kenny Bednarek is ready to take on tough challenges ahead

Justin Gatlin has shared his thoughts on a YouTube channel named Ready Set Go. He elaborated on his reasons for believing that Kenny Bednarek had a shot at competing in the 200 meters next year. He highlighted Bednarek’s second-place finish in the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he came in just behind Tebogo and ahead of his fellow American Noah Lyles. This performance motivated him to inject some excitement into a race that was initially predicted to be dominated by Tebogo.

Sprinting icon Gatlin believes that Bednarek’s showing in Brussels is what he required to narrow the distance between himself and both Tebogo and Lyles in terms of performance on the track field. On his Ready Set Go podcast, he said, “He put together a really good season. I know he kind of wants to get out of the silver bracket. It shows consistency, and that is the respect that you have to have for his process. It shows that no matter where he is in the world, he is one of the best in the world.”

Gatlin’s strong belief in Bednarek’s skills is actually inspiring; he sees potential for a 2025 season ahead.

As Gatlin put it, “It takes such moments to capitalize.” If Bednarek wants to make a real impact, he’ll need to keep delivering those standout performances. With tough competitors like Lyles and Tebogo in the mix, the road ahead won’t be easy, but Bednarek’s recent success has set the stage for what could be an exciting season.