by Deji Ogeyingbo
2025 USATF Outdoors: Kenny Bednarek Finally Gets His Moment in the 100 Meters, by Deji Ogeyingbo
Kenny Bednarek has spent the better part of his professional career doing the chasing. He isn’t a household name in the US compared to the likes of Noah Lyles, Christian Coleman, and Trayvon Bromell. Those are the athletes who usually fill the headlines.
Bednarek, known for his consistency in the 200m, quietly built one of the sport’s more impressive resumes, often finishing in the medals but not quite at the top. On Friday night in Eugene, that changed. With a wind-legal personal best of 9.79s, Bednarek claimed his first U.S. title in the 100 meters at the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships.
The time was not only the fastest of his career, but it also tied him with Maurice Greene and Noah Lyles as the sixth-fastest American in history and placed him 12th on the all-time world list. For Bednarek, the win was a long-awaited breakthrough in an event he once treated as secondary.
The 200m had always been his focus. It was the event that brought him Olympic silver medals in 2021 and 2024, and it was the distance where he developed a reputation for poise and power in the final straight. But the 100m, with its tighter margins and its more competitive field, had always been a work in progress.
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July 31 – August 3, 2025, photo by Kevin Morris
That work paid off under the guidance of his coach, Dennis Mitchell, who helped sharpen his start and improve his acceleration.In Eugene. Bednarek looked relaxed and controlled throughout the rounds. He clocked 9.95 in the prelims, the only man to dip under 10 seconds. The semi-final was smooth. The final was emphatic.“From the gun, I made sure I got out clean,” Bednarek said. “It felt good, and I didn’t have to press too hard.”
This has been a season where Bednarek has looked more in control of his racing than ever before. He came into the championships undefeated, and a wind-assisted 9.79 earlier in the summer hinted at what was coming. That run gave him confidence, but it didn’t carry the same weight as Friday’s result.
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July 31 – August 3, 2025, photo by Kevin Morris
Winning a U.S. title in the men’s 100 meters is not a small thing. It means facing a depth of talent that rivals any field in global sprinting. Bednarek had placed second at this meet four times before. He has been the guy who always made the team but never got the top step.
The result also secured his spot for the World Championships in Tokyo, where he’ll lead a strong U.S. squad that includes Courtney Lindsey, T’Mars McCallum, and Noah Lyles, who earned a bye as the reigning world champion.
Bednarek’s route to this point hasn’t been smooth. He was a high school standout in Oklahoma, but academic struggles meant he had to go through junior college. At Indian Hills Community College in Iowa, he ran times that turned heads too and by 2019, he had signed a pro contract with Nike.
Since then, his rise has been steady. Bednarek has made every U.S. senior team since 2021, delivered medals at major championships, and gained respect in a sprint group often dominated by louder names. His silver medals in the 200m at two Olympics and one World Championship came against some of the best sprinters in recent history.
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July 31 – August 3, 2025, photo by Kevin Morris
This year, the difference has been 100m. His start looks more aggressive, and he’s covering the first 40m better than ever before. While he’s always been known for his top-end speed, his ability to hold form through the second half of the race now allows him to win from the front.
For all of his accomplishments, Bednarek had yet to win a national title. He had seen friends and rivals stand atop the podium while he left with silver. It wore on him, even if he didn’t always show it.
Friday night, at Hayward Field, the track that has seen so many pivotal moments in American sprinting, he finally had his own. The temperature was perfect, the wind was favorable, and Bednarek delivered the race he’s been building toward for years.In Tokyo, Bednarek will have a chance to take on the best again, but this time, he goes in as the U.S. champion.
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July 31 – August 3, 2025, photo by Kevin Morris
No doubt, the likes of Kishane Thompson, Oblique Seville, and even Lyles will have a thing to say on who emerges as the fastest man in the world, but he will be in the mix. That’s all that matters for now.
photos by Kevin J. Morris
#KennyBednarek, #100meters, #USATF, #USATFOutdoors, #JourneytoGold, #NIKE,#NIKErunning, #RoadtoTokyo,
