Kenny Bednarek opened his campaign with a dominant performance in Kingston Grand Slam Track meet, sweeping the 100m and 200m in 10.07 and 20.07 seconds, respectively.
He followed that up in Miami with wind-assisted times of 9.79 and 19.84, pocketing a $200,000 prize. But he saved his best for Philadelphia, where he clocked 9.86 and 19.95, both legal marks, to cap off a flawless 6-for-6 series and earn Racer-of-the-Year honors. The form, consistency, and momentum have made Bednarek a top contender heading into the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
It’s a full-circle moment for the 26-year-old sprinter, who witnessed Noah Lyles’ legendary triple-gold feat at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. Back then, Bednarek was in the mix but couldn’t keep pace in the 200m final, finishing fifth in 20.07 as Lyles stormed to 19.52 and completed the rare 100m-200m-relay triple. Now, Bednarek is chasing a similar dream, and possibly, the man who first inspired it.
“I want to double this year. I have a personal goal of running 9.7, and I want to run faster than 19.5 this year,” Bednarek revealed in an interview with Forbes.
“I want to come out of Tokyo with three gold medals, being a part of the relay as well. And yeah, I just want to stay undefeated. I think that’s one of my main goals: every race that I go in, I just want to compete, execute, and just win.”
That echoes the mission of Lyles in 2023, who took gold in the 100m (9.83), 200m (19.52), and anchored the 4×100m relay (37.38) to round out his triple crown. For Bednarek to match that feat, he’ll need to shave off precious hundredths from his personal bests, 9.87s in the 100m and 19.57s in the 200m, both set in 2024.
But standing in his way is a familiar rival, Noah Lyles. The reigning Olympic champion and global superstar has returned in 2025 with wins of his own, including a 19.88-second victory over Letsile Tebogo (19.97) in a thrilling 200m showdown.
As Tokyo approaches, sprint fans are set for a titanic clash. Bednarek’s undefeated ambition meets Lyles’ proven pedigree on the sport’s biggest stage. And if all goes to plan, we may witness another historic sprint triple.
