Double Olympic silver medalist Bednarek keen to engage with Indian athletes, share his experience

Kolkata, Dec 18 (PTI) Two-time Olympic silver medallist sprinter Kenny Bednarek is excited at the rapid growth of Indian athletics and said he was "open to sharing his experience or mentoring" young athletes to aid the sport’s development in the country.

Indian athletics has witnessed a surge following Neeraj Chopra’s Olympic gold medal, with emerging javelin throwers such as Sachin Yadav, Kishore Jena and Annu Rani gaining prominence, alongside steeplechaser Avinash Sable, hurdler Jyothi Yarraji and long jumper Murali Sreeshankar.

“India has a lot of talent. With the right coaching, training structure and recovery systems, athletes here can achieve great things on the global stage,” the 27-year-old US sprinter, who is the International Event Ambassador for Sunday's Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata, said here.

Sharing his views on long-term engagement with Indian sport, Bednarek added, “I’m always open to contributing in meaningful ways whether it’s through interaction, mentorship, or sharing experiences. Sport has the power to change lives, and if my presence here helps support that journey in India, I’d be proud to be part of it.” One of the world’s leading sprinters, Bednarek is a double Olympic silver medallist in the men’s 200m at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 and a World Championships silver medallist. A consistent Diamond League performer, he holds a personal best of 19.49 seconds.

“India’s passion for sport is unmistakable. Whether it’s athletics, football, cricket, or distance running, there is a genuine love for competition and community. Events like this show how sport can unite people across age, background, and ability,” he said on Thursday.

Speaking about the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata, Bednarek said, “This is not just a race, it’s a celebration. To see tens of thousands of runners, from elite athletes, amateur runners to the first-timers, sharing the same road is inspiring. I’m really looking forward to experiencing race day up close and cheering the runners on Sunday.” Underlining the importance of mindset at the elite level, Bednarek said: “You can be physically prepared and extremely talented, but if you’re not mentally strong on race day, it doesn’t matter. Sprinting is nearly 90 per cent mental discipline, responsibility, belief and recovery are key to performing consistently at the top level.” Bednarek also spoke about his own journey and making the Olympic podium in successive Olympics of Tokyo and Paris.

“I’m always learning and pushing myself to get better every year. Even when I win, I ask myself and my team what more can be improved. There’s no such thing as perfection only progress,” he added. PTI TAP ATK