Kenny Bednarek won the men's 100m at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship on Saturday in Budapest, running a season-best 9.85 into a 0.6 m/s headwind. World champion Oblique Seville of Jamaica finished second in 9.90. American Ronnie Baker took third in 9.93, edging Nigeria's Kayinsola Ajayi by four thousandths of a second. Christian Coleman finished fifth in 9.94.
The victory capped Bednarek's strongest 100m season to date. He opened with a wind-legal 9.98 in May before running a wind-aided 9.72 at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix. Bednarek later placed third at the USATF Championships in 9.88 and finished second at the Silesia Diamond League meet in 9.87.
Bednarek won his semifinal in Budapest in 9.94 before lowering his season best in the final.
At Rice Lake High School, Bednarek won seven individual WIAA Division 2 state titles. He swept the 200m and 400m in 2016 and 2017 before winning the 100m, 200m and 400m in 2018. He was also part of Rice Lake's state-champion 4x400m relay in 2017.
Bednarek's global success had previously come in the 200m, where he earned two Olympic silver medals and two World Championship silver medals. His first individual global title instead came in the 100m, the same event in which he won a Wisconsin state championship eight years ago.
He will have an opportunity to complete the sprint double in Sunday's 200m.
Final Results
World Athletics Ultimate Championship
Budapest, Hungary • September 12, 2026 • Final Results
Kenny Bednarek won the men's 100m at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship on Saturday in Budapest, running a season-best 9.85 into a 0.6 m/s headwind. World champion Oblique Seville of Jamaica finished second in 9.90. American Ronnie Baker took third in 9.93, edging Nigeria's Kayinsola Ajayi by four thousandths of a second. Christian Coleman finished fifth in 9.94.
The victory capped Bednarek's strongest 100m season to date. He opened with a wind-legal 9.98 in May before running a wind-aided 9.72 at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix. Bednarek later placed third at the USATF Championships in 9.88 and finished second at the Silesia Diamond League meet in 9.87.
Bednarek won his semifinal in Budapest in 9.94 before lowering his season best in the final.
United States
Jamaica
Nigeria
South Africa
Botswana
