Kenny Bednarek had come close to a major 100m title before, most notably finishing second to Noah Lyles in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials 100m final in 9.87 seconds. Yet on the global stage, the American had never won an individual 100m title, finishing seventh at the Paris Olympics and fourth at the 2025 World Championships. That changed in 2026, when Bednarek finally claimed his first global 100m gold at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest. Now, a month after the breakthrough victory, the sprint star has opened up about the feeling of finally reaching the top.

On October 5, Bednarek joined DyeStat’s Todd Grasley for the latest episode of DyeStat Discussions, where he looked back on the moment that finally gave him his long-awaited 100m breakthrough. For Bednarek, the emotion after crossing the finish line was not about silencing those who had doubted him, but about confirming his own belief.

“It was never about proving people wrong. It was about proving myself right,” Bednarek said. That mindset made the finish line even more meaningful. After securing the victory, Bednarek felt a sense of relief that came from finally seeing the work pay off in the biggest moment. The win also gave him something he had been looking for in the 100m: confidence that he understood how to put together a winning race. 

“I think this is what was really needed for me specifically in the hundred,” he said. “In order to be consistent with just, you know, going into every meet and getting a win, because now I know what it takes.” That lesson was put to the test in Budapest, where Bednarek faced a loaded field despite the absence of Lyles, who withdrew from the competition after a hamstring injury prevented him from continuing his 2026 season. Reigning world champion Oblique Seville was still among the biggest threats in the final, with Ronnie Baker, Kayinsola Ajayi and Christian Coleman also in the field.

Bednarek stayed composed as Seville held a strong position through much of the race. But as the finish approached, the American began closing the gap before powering past Seville in the final stages. Bednarek stopped the clock at 9.85 seconds into a 0.6 m/s headwind, with Seville finishing second in 9.90. Baker and Ajayi both clocked 9.93, with Baker taking third on the official result. For Bednarek, the race was about more than simply getting the win. It was about showing that he could execute when the pressure was at its highest.

“And at the end of the day, I was able to do it when it mattered the most,” he said. Bednarek also addressed the perception of the 2026 season, which did not feature a traditional World Championships. While some might not view the Ultimate Championship in the same way, he pointed to the level of competition in Budapest as a reason the victory should be taken seriously. “This year was an off year,” Bednarek said. “And for some people, this might not really count as anything.”

He then pointed to the strength of the field, noting that many of the world’s leading athletes were present and that injuries were the main reason some were missing. “If you look at all the other events, all the top dogs are there,” he said. That made the competition feel like a global championship to Bednarek, even if it was not officially the World Championships.

“So you can consider this as a global championship,” Bednarek said. The victory also gave him a clearer idea of how he needs to approach races when the competition is at its strongest. When everybody’s there, that’s when I need to make sure to hone in and execute properly,” he explained. Bednarek’s breakthrough did not stop with the 100m. He also captured the 200m title in Budapest, giving him two individual victories at the Ultimate Championship.

For Kenny Bednarek, reaching the top of the 100m was about far more than one race in Budapest. Long before he stood on top of the podium, the American had already faced setbacks, made major changes to his life and spent years trying to unlock the best version of himself as a sprinter.

The lessons behind Bednarek’s rise

Bednarek and his twin brother Ian spent part of their childhood moving between foster homes before they were adopted by Mary Bednarek at the age of four. He has spoken about how difficult those early years were, admitting that he struggled with behavioral and emotional issues because he did not understand why his life kept changing. Adjusting to his new family also took time, but as he grew older, he began to mature and understand the importance of preparing himself for the future.

He also had a rocky road to the top of the sport. Bednarek was not academically eligible for a major Division 1 program, and thus took his talents to Indian Hills Community College in Iowa.  He did not let that setback cripple him; he used that setback to strengthen him. When he was a freshman in 2019, he ran 19.82 in the 200m, which got him on Nike’s radar and onto a path for his professional career.

His career took off at a rapid pace. Bednarek competed in the 200m for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, earning a silver medal, but it was also during that period that he came to understand that talent alone would not be enough if he wanted to compete consistently at the highest level. After Tokyo, he began making changes away from the track, from his diet and training to his recovery and overall lifestyle. 

That lesson became even more important as Bednarek began putting greater attention into the 100m. The event was not as natural to him as the 200m, where he had already established himself as one of the world’s best.  He explained in a 2026 interview that he often needed a couple of races to find that rhythm, using his early outings to identify what was working and what needed to change. That process played out again in 2026. After opening his season with a 9.98 in China, he ran 10.03 in Xiamen after a slight stumble, forcing him to keep working on the first half of his race.

Even when the times were fast, Bednarek felt there was more inside him. Looking back at his 2025 season, he believed he had the ability to run in the 9.7 range, but mistakes prevented him from showing his full potential. “Nobody got to really see the full potential that I had at the end of the year because mistakes happen. You live and you learn,” Bednarek said.

That became part of the bigger challenge. He had the speed, but he was still learning how to execute the 100m when everything was on the line. The 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials were a testament to how close he can get. Bednarek also ran 9.87 and finished second behind Noah Lyles, and showed he had the potential to be a contender for big 100m championships. However, his breakthrough around the world remained elusive.

At the 2025 World Championships, another small detail highlighted the work still left to do. Bednarek finished fourth in the 100m after recording the slowest start in the field. His speed could carry him back into contention, but he could not afford to give away too much ground in an event decided by hundredths of a second. That is what made his 2026 breakthrough in Budapest so meaningful.