The Paris Olympics turned into a tower of terror for Kenny Bednarek. He won the 200-meter silver medal but faltered in his next race. The Team USA’s men’s 4×100-meter relay proved fatal for Kenny. With some of the fastest American sprinters on the lineup, this relay was supposed to break the 20-year relay medal drought. A baton mishap during the handoff between Bednarek and Christian Coleman ended with a disqualification for the team. And that’s when the trolls peaked.

Kenny was already gutted by the blunder he found himself making. And it wasn’t long before the world saw the mistake and put him under scrutiny. The criticism poured in, with many blaming Kenny for the team’s failure. Sarcastic jabs and outright attacks clouded his social media. Social media turned out to be a brutal place for him to exist. But Kenny is not one to hide!

Kenny Bednarek has never shied away from speaking his mind. And this time was no different! He did something powerful. Kenny took it to X with a message that was strong enough to cut through the disturbing voices that echoed. He wrote, “Just a reminder: It’s okay to take a break, to feel overwhelmed, and to reach out for help. Prioritize your mental health, always.”

It was a moment of rawness and honest admission about where Kenny is mentally. His message is clear. Even the greatest athletes aren’t immune to the struggles of the mind. And it is okay to admit it when things get too hard. However, this is not just a one-time address. Kenny has spoken about his struggles with mental health previously, too!

Kenny Bednarek has been proving the odds wrong since the beginning

Long before the world knew Kenny Bednarek and the Olympic downfalls, there was a little boy from Oklahoma. And he had a lot of energy to burn. Kenny’s doctors diagnosed him with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) at an early age. His childhood was an era of boundless energy and, at times, struggles to focus. And he has no qualms about talking about it.

“I have ADHD, so growing up, I always had a lot of energy as a young kid. I was one of those kids who was always getting into trouble, running in the hallways and jumping over tables, for some reason,” said Kenny per NBC. Kenny’s mother, Mary Bednarek, decided to channel his energy into cross country when he was in first grade. And boy, oh boy, did it work wonders!

But it did not stop there. “I started with that and then went into track and was doing both of those sports up until sixth grade. I didn’t want to do anything longer than a mile, so I stopped doing cross country and solely focused on track and field,” he added. After two Olympic medals and the recent Diamond League Gold, it is safe to say that the decision to stop running long distances was perhaps one of the best!

Soon, Kenny was the quickest in his school! “I was always the fastest kid in my class and one of the fastest kids in the area. I just always loved running and competing,” revealed Kenny. And by the time he reached high school, he was creating history. He even went on to win state titles. The rest, as they say, is history. Despite the challenges, Kenny Bedernak has created history and stacked up wins. To make it a whole lot more exciting, he isn’t stopping any time soon.

He already has his eyes set on the 2028 LA Olympics. As Kenny himself puts it, “LA 2028 is in my sights, and I’m aiming for one thing: 3 gold medals.” Homeland wins or not, one thing is given. The world can expect great things from Kenny Bednarek.