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Bednarek finished seventh in 9.88 in what is perhaps the closest 100m final in Olympics history in Paris last month, but admitted to a tactical blunder during the race that cost him the ultimate price.
American sprinter Kenny Bednarek, who clinched a silver medal in the 200 meters at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has revealed the crucial tactical error that dashed his hopes of claiming a gold medal in the 100 meters.
Despite finishing in a remarkably fast race, Bednarek expressed frustration over his seventh-place finish, admitting he failed to follow a key instruction from his coach.
The 100-meter final in Paris saw an astonishingly tight contest, with all eight sprinters crossing the finish line in under 9.92 seconds. Bednarek clocked a swift 9.88 seconds, a time that would have earned him a bronze medal in previous Olympic Games.
However, in Paris, it placed him seventh. The race was won by his American teammate Noah Lyles, who stormed to victory in 9.79 seconds, edging out Jamaica's Kishane Thompson in a photo finish by just 0.005 seconds, ending Team USA's 20-year drought in the event.
Reflecting on his performance on his YouTube channel, Bednarek opened up about the race on his YouTube channel, explaining how he and his coach, Dennis Mitchell, had mapped out a strategy that, if executed correctly, could have seen him challenge for gold. The plan was simple: stay with Thompson from the start, and allow his powerful top-end speed to carry him through the final stages.
"Coach and I spoke and we basically said, ‘if we stay with Kishane, we get the win,’ which was the goal at the end of the race," Bednarek explained. "Get out and push out of the blocks and stay with the boys, because if I got out with them, I could have my top-end speed take over and get the job done."
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. "As soon as the gun went off, I didn't really do what I had to do. Everyone had an okay start, so by then, I was in a position where I could let my top-end speed take over and get the job done, but it was a case where you're in the finals, and you want it bad."
In the heat of the moment, Bednarek admitted he tried to force things instead of staying patient. "I tried to get into extra gear and tried to force it instead of being patient, and with that, I tightened up a bit," he said, reflecting on the bitter-sweet nature of the final. "I did not get the job done."
Despite the disappointment, Bednarek acknowledged the significance of being part of one of the fastest Olympic 100m finals in history. "Coach and everybody else told me about how that was the fastest finals in a while. I am happy to be part of history, but the job is not done yet. I want gold medals, not a 7th place finish."
Looking ahead, Bednarek is determined to learn from this experience and come back stronger. "The best thing I do is show up when it counts, no matter what. I am as consistent as can be, and next year, I’m going to get the job done and run faster than what I did in these finals."
While the 100 meters didn’t go as planned, Bednarek still managed to secure his second consecutive Olympic silver in the 200 meters, building on the success he first tasted in Tokyo. With his trademark resilience and drive, Bednarek is already setting his sights on redemption, determined to add gold to his collection in future competitions.
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