As the USA's Kenny Bednarek gears up for a bid to join his second Olympic team, the 200m silver medalist from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has set his sights on meeting his childhood idol, Usain Bolt. In a recent interview with Nick McCarvel for Olympic.com, Bednarek revealed his admiration for the eight-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the 100m and 200m.
Despite his own accomplishments on the track, Bednarek has yet to meet the Jamaican sprint legend. "I've never met him, but Usain is somebody that I looked up to as a kid," Bednarek shared. "It'd just be nice to pick his brain, know his thoughts, and see how he was able to accomplish everything he did."
As Bednarek prepares for the upcoming Paris Olympics, he acknowledges the influence Bolt has had on his career while also emphasizing his commitment to his own training regimen and support system. "I'm trying to take some cues from the all-time great from Jamaica, but I'm also trusting my own process and the team that surrounds me," he said. "I just know all the work that I put in to help me reach this moment. I trust my coach, my technique, and everybody else who has supported me. The confidence is through the roof, and all that I need to do is execute."
Throughout his journey, Bednarek has learned invaluable lessons, including the importance of humility—a value instilled in him by his mother. "My mum always told me to stay humble," he remarked with a smile. "I've always told her to let me know if I ever get too cocky because I don't want to change just because I get more fame or more money. If I ever get a little too cocky, she always reminds me, and I appreciate her for that."
With Olympic and world medals under his belt and a growing social media presence, Bednarek remains grounded as he continues to chase his dreams. Meeting Usain Bolt would be a significant milestone for the American sprinter, symbolizing the connection between two generations of sprinting excellence.
As Bednarek looks ahead to Paris, his admiration for Bolt and his own dedication to the sport serve as dual inspirations, driving him to achieve even greater heights in his career.
Novak Djokovic to compete at Paris Olympics
Novak Djokovic is set to compete in the Olympic Games after being named in Serbia's squad for the tennis tournament.
The 24-time grand slam champion will target a gold medal for the first time, with his appearance in Paris set to be his fifth at the Olympics.
Djokovic won a 2008 bronze medal in Beijing after losing to eventual winner Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals before beating James Blake for third place.
He came fourth at London 2012 after suffering defeats to Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Porto in the final stages and lost early at Rio 2016 before narrowly missing out on a medal in Tokyo three years ago, with Alexander Zverev and Pablo Carreno Busta getting the better of him to end a historic bid for a Golden Slam.
Djokovic, 37, said in April that winning an elusive gold medal was a priority for him this year, but there was some uncertainty over his participation after he withdrew from the French Open before his quarter-final match this month through injury.
The Serbian suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee and underwent surgery but now looks to be on track to return to Roland-Garros for the Games, with Dusan Lajovic also selected for Serbia.
"Team Serbia for Paris 2024 got new representatives," the Serbian Olympic Committee announced.
"Tennis players Novak Djokovic and Dusan Lajovic fulfilled the requirements, according to the ATP ranking, and confirmed their performance at the Olympic Games."
Djokovic's involvement in the men's tournament comes as a boost for the Paris Games after some high-profile female players like Aryna Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur and Emma Raducanu announced they would not be participating.
The Olympic tennis tournaments are scheduled to run from July 27 until August 4.
It is not yet known whether Djokovic will be able to participate at Wimbledon, which takes place before the Olympics.
Wimbledon begins on July 1 and Djokovic is a seven-time champion at the event, just one title behind the men's singles record held by Roger Federer.
Djokovic lost an epic final to Carlos Alcaraz at last year's Wimbledon.
Thompson-Herah will not defend 200m title at Paris Olympics
Five-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah will not be defending her 200m title at this year's Games in Paris.
The 31-year-old became the first woman to win back-to-back Olympic sprint doubles at Tokyo 2020 when she retained her 100m and 200m titles.
Thompson-Herah will not be able to achieve the feat again, however, after opting to only cover 100m at the upcoming Jamaican trials.
She appeared to sustain an injury while competing in the 100m at the NYC Grand Prix earlier this month.
The Jamaican is the second-fastest woman in history over that distance, though injuries have disrupted her competition schedule in the last year.
The athletics events at the Paris Olympics will take place between August 1-11.
Bolt undergoes successful surgery to repair ruptured Achilles
World 100m, 200m and 4x100m record holder Usain Bolt has had a successful surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles heel.
The eight-time Olympic gold medalist, who is 37 years old and retired in 2017, suffered the injury while playing in Soccer Aid, a match played annually to raise funds for UNICEF, on June 9 at Stamford Bridge, home of English Premier League club Chelsea FC.
“Surgery was successful,” said Bolt on social media on Monday.
Bolt, who has been a regular fixture in the charity game in recent years, was captaining the Soccer Aid World XI against England before going down with the injury early in the second half.
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