Kenny Bednarek, an American sprinter and Olympic medalist, has no words to thank his adoptive mother, Mary, who adopted him and his twin brother and raised them as her own. With his mom’s effort, his life turned; he went from living in a foster home to having a family and is now a proud Olympian.
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he moved with his new family to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, after his adoption. Alongside his fraternal twin brother, he grew up with two siblings, both sisters.
While his brother is into athletes like him, his sisters pursue diverse professions. Yet, despite their career differences, the Bednarek siblings are supportive of each other’s careers. They feature pictures from family moments on their social media profiles.
This article will explore the details of Kenny Bednarek’s family- his mother and siblings.
Key Takeaways:
- Olympian Kenny Benarek never talked about his biological parents; he got a new life after his mother, Mary Ann Bednarek, adopted him.
- His mom, Mary, also adopted his twin brother and two other siblings and raised them as a single mom.
- Before his adoption, Kenny lived from foster home to foster home, which caused him mental distress.
- Bednarek suffered from ADHD and had trouble adjusting to the family and maintaining his relationship with his mother previously.
- He ran in the 2024 Paris Olympics’ 100-meter men’s finals, finishing 7th, but he could not secure a medal.
- Kenny also made it to the semi-finals of the men’s 200-meter in 2024 Paris Olympics.
Kenny Bednarek’s Mother, Mary Ann Bednarek, Is His Ultimate Mentor
Bednarek and his twin brother, Ian Bednarek, were adopted by his mother, Mary Ann Bednarek, when they were only four. He was born on October 14, 1998, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and later brought up in Wisconsin.
His adoptive mom, Mary, provided everything he required and supported him throughout the journey.
However, information about Kenny’s biological parents is unavailable, and he has not talked about it publicly either. Meanwhile, Mary’s profession is also not made public, as it is unknown what she does.
Mary, a single mother, parented four orphan children and gave them all new lives. However, it took Kenny some time to get used to the new environment and family relatives. Mary mentioned that Kenny had been a troubled kid since the beginning.
Even Kenny himself admitted that his relationship with his mother improved only after high school.
Everything Kenny had to endure during his childhood resulted in his inadaptability to the environment and inability to behave himself. He recalls when he was ready for the real world, to face and go with it.
Bednarek’s Twin Brother Ian Is Also An Athlete
Kenny’s twin brother, Ian Bednarek, was also born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was raised by his adoptive mother, Mary Bednarek. He grew up with his twin brother Kenny and two other siblings, who his mother adopted.
Ian is also an athlete with a passion for sports and running. He is a track runner in college and has participated in cross-country and track events.
Nonetheless, Ian is not as successful and famous as his brother Kenny. He appears to be a bit secretive and has kept his Instagram account private.
Kenny and Ian share a close bond and occasionally share pictures on social media.
Who Are Kenny Bednarek’s Other Two Siblings?
Besides his twin brother, Ian, Kenny has two adopted sisters. One of them, Mary Alys Bednarek (his older sister), is an artist and photographer. Her Facebook profile shows she is the owner/photographer at Mabed’s Photography & Art (2020- present).
She attended Tahlequah High School before moving to Wisconsin and enrolling at Rice Lake High (class of 2015). Alys studied fine arts at UW-Eau Claire—Barron County and now at Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici.
Alys celebrated her 28th birthday in June 2024. She is active on Instagram under the handle @alysbednarek.
Bednarek’s other sister is Mary Clare Bednarek, who uses Facebook under the handle @mcbednarek. She is proud of her brother and shares his achievements on her social profiles.
Also Read: Stefano Peschiera’s Girlfriend, Paula, Congratulated Him On His Olympic Bronze
Kenny’s Carrer Insights From High School To Olympics In Brief
Kenny was into sports from school days and received several medals while leading 4x400m relays for Wisconsin High School. He even played football as a wide receiver and kick returner. Later, he switched to 200m after joining Indian Hills Community College and broke the record for the fastest individual in the 200m indoors.
He turned professional in 2019, signed a contract with Nike, and moved to Florida for training. In August 2021, he ran for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 200-meter men’s final representing the United States and won a silver medal.
Later, in the 2022 Eugene, Oregon World Athletics Championships, Bednarek took home silver in the 200 meters.
He is known as Kung Fu Kenny for his iconic ties and bands around the head while running in the races.
As of 2024, he is participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics and finished seventh in the 100-meter men’s finals.
He has also made it to the semi-finals of the 200-meter men’s race. Should Kenny secure medals throughout the tournament, this would be another significant milestone in his career and achievements.
You May Like: Olympian Luana Alonso Denied Removal from Athlete’s Village: Everything About the Paraguayan Swimmer
Did you find this article helpful? Please let us know by commenting below or following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Connect with us on YouTube and watch the latest news related to celebrities and players.
Dipin Yogi brings five years of experience in writing and translation to StarBiographer. A Bachelor of Science graduate, he believes in learning by doing and counting skills over academics. Professionally working since 2018, he’s had a wide array of experience—from writing in-depth entertainment articles to guiding team members with his strong grasp of creativity.
