Something that has always set Kenny Bednarek apart on track, apart from his pace, is his attire – particularly his headband, which carries a lot of significance. But what happens when his symbol of identity malfunctions during a race?
In a detailed conversation with the NY Times, Bednarek spoke about the reason behind sporting headbands and how he customizes their designs according to his anime preferences.
“It’s like me putting my character on. I think if I didn’t run with one, I’d feel a little naked. My forehead would feel exposed.”
However, there has been one momentous occasion where he faced an error with his accessory, leading to severe actions. Earlier this year, Bednarek ran his season’s first 200m at the Miramar Invitational in Florida and won with a stunning lead.
Towards the last leg of the sprint, however, his headband flew off owing to the speed and wind – almost qualifying as a worst-case scenario for the American. He assured everyone that the incident won’t repeat itself anymore:
“Now…I make sure to double knot it every single time.”
During the conversation, he also pointed out how athletes often morph into one during races. He revealed how it’s difficult to set oneself apart when everyone is sponsored by the same company that provides the same gear. It’s always a flash of the same color with the same brand logo, and this meant he had to work on looking slightly different.
The brightly colored headbands that Bednarek often sports have designs inspired by popular animes like Naruto. These headbands pay homage to several characters from the anime who have had a profound impact on him.
This time, Bednarek wore a distinctive headband for his run at the Brussels Diamond League Finals, whose design referenced All Might‘s character from My Hero Academia.
The eye-catching accessory proved to be a good luck charm, as Bednarek beat Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo to win the 200m title and add a new achievement to his bag. Throughout all this, his headband held along just fine.
