Kenny Bednarek pens heartfelt note after addressing people in his home town on day named in his honor

American track and field Olympic star Kenny Bednarek shared a gratitude note for his home community in Rice Lake, where he was honored with a day named after him for his Paris Olympics success. Bednarek won a silver medal at the Games.

Bednarek managed to defend his Tokyo Olympics 200m silver at this year's Summer Games in the French capital, finishing second in the 200m finals. Competing at Paris' iconic Stade de France, he finished second in the event, clocking in an impressive time of 19.62 seconds to take the second spot on the podium. Subsequently, Bednarak outperformed his fellow countryman and gold medal favorite Noah Lyles, who finished in third place.

For his athletic achievements and contributions to America's track and field success, the 25-year-old was felicitated by his native place of Rice Lake on Saturday, October 12, with the proclamation of Kenny Bednarek Day. The day was celebrated from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and it featured a parade, a meet-and-greet event at his former high school, autograph signings, giveaways, and much more.

"Supporters are encouraged to cheer for Kenny along the route, and/or join in the celebration at Rice Lake High School," Randy Drost, the District Administrator and event planner stated (as quoted by APG)

Sharing an update from his special day, the Olympian posted a gratitude message on his Instagram and noted that his goal has always been to give back to the community.

"It was a pleasure to come back home and speak to such a respected group of people. My goal is to always to give back to the community that has had my back," he wrote in the caption.

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"I’ve achieved what I’ve achieved by buckling down" - Kenny Bednarek reflects on his accomplishments and the hard work behind them

Kenny Bednarek at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (Source: Getty)

Reflecting on his achievements on the track, Kenny Bednarek said that his growth was closely linked to his past experiences and noted that all his past struggles contributed to shaping who he has become today. Here's what he said (Via Cumberland Youth & Family Services):

"Every single previous version of me is still a part of me, including the trauma from my childhood. I own my past and my present. I am who I am, and I’ve achieved what I’ve achieved by buckling down and doing the really tough work — work on myself, working through emotional trauma and setbacks, and tough, hard work on the track."

Bednarek recently concluded his 2024 season at the Diamond League and is currently relishing his time away from the track.