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Kenny Bednarek lost to Noah Lyles at the very last hurdle in the 200m final of the USATF Olympic trials, but Gatlin believes that it will only make Bednarek stronger ahead of the Olympics.
Former American sprinter Justin Gatlin has shed light on why Kenny Bednarek’s second-place finish in the 200m final at the USATF Olympic trials will serve as a crucial motivator ahead of the upcoming Olympic Games.
In the recent trials, Bednarek, who led for most of the race, was overtaken by Noah Lyles, who finished with a record-setting 19.53, breaking the previous meet record of 19.66 set by Michael Johnson in 1996.
Despite Bednarek’s impressive personal best of 19.59, earning him second place and moving him up to No. 7 on the all-time U.S. performer list, Gatlin believes this setback will ultimately benefit him.
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Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in the 100m, discussed Bednarek's performance on his podcast Ready Set Go, co-hosted with Maurice Green. He emphasized that this second-place finish could ignite a new level of determination in Bednarek.
“This is good for Kenny because it gives him growth. It gives him fire in the stomach. He is going to go back to Claremont, he is going to know that guy he wanted to beat is across town training hard, so he is going to train hard,” Gatlin said.
“It is going to make him train hard. He will go there next four weeks and will put everything on the line, work extra hard to get the job done.”
Bednarek, the reigning Olympic silver medalist in the 200m, has shown remarkable form throughout 2024, particularly after overcoming injuries. Gatlin praised his resilience and recent performances, noting a significant change in his competitive demeanor.
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Coleman missed out on qualifying for the Olympic games in both the 100 and 200m after falling short at the Olympic USATF trials.
“I like this in Kenny. Kenny used to be that mild guy, who is like, ‘I am just happy to be here’ kind of guy, but he transformed into that bogeyman,” Gatlin added.
As Bednarek prepares for the Olympic Games in Paris, Gatlin’s insights suggest that this recent result could be the catalyst for even greater achievements.
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