Up against one of his fiercest rivals in Letsile Tebogo, Kenny Bednarek has made a habit of having the final say, winning two of their last four meetings since the 2024 Olympics. Stockholm was supposed to be more of the same despite Tebogo’s absence. Then a false start changed the atmosphere entirely, and even after crossing the line first, Bednarek made no attempt to hide that it got to him.

This happened after three attempts to start the race, all thanks to two false starts which saw Jeremiah Azu and Timothe Mumenthaler disqualified. For Bednarek, however, the win was the only thing that mattered, and he dealt with it well.

“I came for the win and took the win, so I am happy with that, but maybe some parts of the race I can definitely work on,” Bednarek said after the meet. “The false start was a bit disconcerting, but I can deal with this, and we prepare for these things, so it is fine.

“I have plenty to work on now as I go back to the US for a month now before more Diamond League and the Ultimate Champs. Overall, a good day at the office, but plenty more to do. The wind was ok out there and did not affect us too much.”

Even with the field not packed with superstars, Bednarek had his work cut out for him. Two false starts meant the runners had to reset themselves three times. The first one took place well before the gun even went off, with Azu and Mumenthaler taking off first. The runners reset themselves, took up their starting positions, and kicked off for the second attempt.

They had barely raced 30-odd meters before the officials halted the race and called it back. Confused and almost bewildered at it, Bednarek and co reset themselves once again. However, it was stopped to disqualify Azu and Mumenthaler for their false starts. Both athletes decided to participate in the race against protest, even if it meant their results wouldn’t matter.

Many in the stands and watching on would have wondered, though, could that affect race favourite Kung-Fu Kenny’s performance? His start unquestionably answered that as Bednarek produced a sensational leap to take the lead from the get-go. Coming out of the bend, the 27-year-old had about a meter’s lead on the rest of the pack.

By the end, nobody could catch him. While the American recorded 19.87 seconds, Sinesipho Dambile finished second with 20.10. That almost replicates his performance at the Rabat DL earlier in the season. There Bednarek was up against Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, and yet, it didn’t seem to matter to him.

He produced an even more impressive run, setting a meet record of 19.69 seconds in the 200m. It was his first 200m race of the season; Tebogo finished second with 19.96. Sinesipho Dambile completed the podium with 20.03 while Cheickna Traore finished fourth with 20.15.

What has perhaps been most impressive about Bednarek’s season is not just the victories, but how comfortable he has looked while collecting them. After years of battling injuries and inconsistency, the American appears to be running with a confidence that mirrors his physical condition.

Kenneth Bednarek believes a healthy ‘Kenny’ is a dangerous one

In 2021, Kenny Bednarek was on fire. The now 27-year-old clocked 10 wind-legal sub-20s in the 200m, the most by anyone in a single season. Flash forward, and injuries have seriously affected his career, so much so that he’s now a forgotten man. From hamstrings to broken toes, Bednarek has been through it all and has now managed to come out on the other side.

The Olympic silver proved that but 2025 defined that. That’s as he competed in over twenty races across the season, finishing outside a podium place just once. In fact, Bednarek failed to win a race on just five occasions, marking a remarkable season. It’s why he believes that a healthy version of himself can produce incredible feats on the track.

“A healthy Kenny is a dangerous Kenny, because with me not dealing with all this little BS, I can put everything together and then I’ll be dominant,” Bednarek told The Athletic in 2025.

He added, “That just comes with the recovery factor. I’m always going to do a workout, and excel at it, but to survive at this level, you have to take care of your body.”

However, maintaining a healthy body takes time, effort, and a lot of money. And Kung-Fu Kenny has spared no expense, decking his house up with everything a healthy athlete needs. From a sauna, cold plunge and red-light therapy to changing his diet completely. Bednarek has done it all and plans to keep it that way until his career as a sprinter ends.

“It’s a lot of money, but at the end of the day, our body is an investment,” Bednarek explained. “Track and field is not forever, so you might as well put the money down, recover and get ready for the next day and try to survive. Make money, get gold medals and just run fast.”

It’s perhaps why the false starts in Stockholm ultimately amounted to little more than an annoyance for Bednarek. The race may have begun in confusion. Yet, by the time it ended, he had once again reminded the field that when he’s healthy and in rhythm, very few sprinters can match what he brings over 200m.