Sprinting might seem simple at first glance. You stand in your lane and run 100, 200, or 400 meters as fast as possible. That's the basic idea. Watching a sprinter reach top speed on the track is truly beautiful, like pure poetry in motion. However, running that fast is far from easy. It demands natural athleticism and countless hours of hard work just to shave off nanoseconds. That tiny edge often makes the difference between standing on the podium or not.
The Edge That Brought Silver
American sprinter Kenny Bednarek found that crucial edge over Noah Lyles, the Olympic 100m champion and a frequently trending track star. At both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, Bednarek outpaced his rival to secure two consecutive silver medals in the 200m event. The 27-year-old has also earned medals at world championships, including a gold in the 100m relay at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Discipline and Dedication
Bednarek's remarkable consistency stems directly from his disciplined approach and unwavering dedication to training. He spends long hours on the track and pushes through pain and sweat in the gym. He even performs exercises and drills he strongly dislikes, all in pursuit of faster times.
"I train and compete for 10 months each year. After that, I enjoy a two-month off-season where I rest, recover, rejuvenate, and prepare for the next competition cycle," says Bednarek. He recently visited Kolkata as the event ambassador for the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata.
A Sprinter's Daily Grind
Early in his training cycle, Bednarek focuses on running numerous 500m, 400m, and 300m sprints, combined with lifting sessions. He treats training as his full-time job, with working hours typically from 9 AM to 6 PM, sometimes extending to 7 PM depending on the workout and training phase.
"On any given day, I do track work, strength training, and recovery drills. So, from 9 AM onwards, I am either working out or recovering until 6 or 7 PM," he explains.
Contrasting Personalities
Brimming with talent and potential, Bednarek is naturally soft-spoken and quiet. This personality stands in stark contrast to his arch-rival Noah Lyles, who is never shy about expressing himself. During an interaction with school children in Kolkata, Bednarek seized the chance to subtly jab at his opponent.
"I am not loud like some others, but I wanted to be different from other sprinters, so I started wearing a bandana for all my races," he remarked.
Brutal Strength Training Sessions
Bednarek's gym sessions are intense, lasting 60 to 90 minutes and occasionally longer. As expected, sprinters need strong legs, so his routine includes many squats. However, upper body strength is equally vital for peak performance.
"My strength work involves a lot of squats and leg presses on a machine. I also do plenty of upper body workouts and complex movements, including several Olympic lifts. We perform deadlifts, bench presses, lat pull-downs, cleans... pretty much everything because you must work the entire body. It's a lot. I also do a fair bit of single-leg work and treadmill runs. The single-leg work and treadmill runs really hurt. It's just intense and involves a lot of work," he details.
The Power Requirement
Strength training forms a fundamental building block for any sprinter. To run as fast as champion sprinters, the body must generate immense power.
"To hit the times we achieve, you need a lot of power. Just going out and running is one thing, but your body also needs to withstand and stay in the zone for the entire distance and generate the necessary power," Bednarek explains, highlighting the long hours he dedicates to weights and gym machines.
His weekly strength training schedule is rigorous: Mondays focus on upper body, Tuesdays on lower body, Thursdays on upper body again, and Fridays on lower body once more. This means he engages in strength and weight training four times a week, with sessions lasting about an hour and a half to two hours.
Running Drills for Victory
While treadmill runs and single-leg work are challenging, the exercise Bednarek absolutely despises is the 100m Repeats. This drill involves running 100m at full speed, taking a short recovery pause, and then repeating at full throttle.
"I hate, hate, hate Repeat 100s. But I still do it when the coach tells me to. The reason is simple: I want to win," he states. His hatred for this tough workout is overridden by his desire to win gold medals.
"I want to be the best, and that keeps me motivated to push through pain and difficult workouts," he adds.
Outdoor Training Challenges
Bednarek's outdoor training is equally demanding. Besides the Repeat 100s, his coach incorporates hurdle drills to open up the hips and numerous shuttle runs, which he calls wickets.
"For some sessions, we also use weights for track drills. It's like weight training on the track involving knee lifts. It hurts a lot, but it helps improve my technique," he notes.
Views on Enhanced Games
Later this year, the controversial Enhanced Games will take place in Las Vegas, where athletes can use performance-enhancing drugs under supervision. Fred Kerley, a Team USA teammate of Bednarek and Lyles and Tokyo Olympics 100m silver medalist, has already announced his participation. This comes shortly after the Athletics Integrity Unit provisionally suspended him for whereabouts failures.
While Bednarek maintains distance from banned substances and the Enhanced Games, he expresses curiosity.
"Ooh! Wow! It's something new. I'm actually learning a lot about the Enhanced Games, but I don't know right now. It's a spectacle... we will see what that brings to the world of sport or the track world," he concludes.
