Professional Olympic sprinter Kenny Bednarek was born on October 14, 1998, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. During his high school days in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, he won seven individual titles and even led his team to win the 4×400 relay. He's been involved in athletics since second grade.
According to World Athletics, Bednarek is world no. 1 in the 200-meter sprint with a 19.67-second finish at the 2024 Doha Diamond League meeting, which also set his personal best. In 2018, he ran a 200-meter high school event with a time of 20.43, setting a new national record. Furthermore, he has also won silver medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (19.68) and the 2022 Eugene World Championships (19.77).
What is Kenny Bednarek’s 400m record?
According to the World Athletics, Kenny Bednarek's 400m personal best record is 44.73 seconds, achieved in May 2019 at the Hobbs in New Mexico, in the United States.
Most recently, in March 2024, Bednarek won the UCF Knights Invite at the UCF Soccer and Track Complex in Orlando, Florida, finishing 400 meters in 46 seconds. A week later, he participated at the Pepsi Florida Realys in Gainesville and finished in 46.20 seconds, coming in third. In comparison to his first 400 meter race in July 2015 at Ames, where he finished in 47.82 seconds, his 2024 46 second race at UCF is a better performance.
Kenny Bednarek’s Major Championships Record
The major championships’ record of Kenny Bednarek is as follows:
| Pl. | Discipline | Mark | Wind | Race | Competition | Venue | Date |
| Olympic Games | |||||||
| 2. | 200 Metres | 19.68 | -0.5 | F | The XXXII Olympic Games | National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) | 04 AUG 2021 |
| 2. | 200 Metres | 19.83 | +0.2 | SF3 | The XXXII Olympic Games | National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) | 03 AUG 2021 |
| 1. | 200 Metres | 20.01 | -0.4 | H6 | The XXXII Olympic Games | National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) | 03 AUG 2021 |
| World Championships | |||||||
| 5. | 200 Metres | 20.07 | -0.2 | F | World Athletics Championships, Budapest 2023 | Nemzeti Atlétikai Központ, Budapest (HUN) | 25 AUG 2023 |
| 2. | 200 Metres | 19.96 | 0.0 | SF2 | World Athletics Championships, Budapest 2023 | Nemzeti Atlétikai Központ, Budapest (HUN) | 24 AUG 2023 |
| 2. | 200 Metres | 20.01 | -0.1 | H7 | World Athletics Championships, Budapest 2023 | Nemzeti Atlétikai Központ, Budapest (HUN) | 23 AUG 2023 |
| 2. | 200 Metres | 19.77 | +0.4 | F | World Athletics Championships, Oregon 2022 | Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) | 21 JUL 2022 |
| 3. | 200 Metres | 19.84 | +1.1 | SF2 | World Athletics Championships, Oregon 2022 | Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) | 19 JUL 2022 |
| 18. | 200 Metres | 20.35 | +0.5 | H4 | World Athletics Championships, Oregon 2022 | Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) | 18 JUL 2022 |
| 46. | 200 Metres | 21.50 | +0.7 | H4 | IAAF World Championships in Athletics | Khalifa International Stadium, Doha (QAT) | 29 SEP 2019 |
FAQ's On Kenny Bednarek 400m
A. Kenny Bednarek's personal best in the 200 meters is 19.67 seconds.
A. Kenny Bednarek's personal best in the 400 meters is 44.73 seconds.
A. Kenny Bednarek attended Rice Lake High School in Wisconsin.
A. Kenny Bednarek won silver medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 Eugene World Championships in the 200 meters.
A. Kenny Bednarek stands 6 feet 2 inches, or 188 cm. tall.
A. Kenny Bednarek is coached by Dennis Mitchell, a 1992 Olympic athlete.
