Olympics: Bednarek wins 200-meter semifinal to qualify for finals

Kenny Bednarek is back in the 200-meter finals for the Olympics in his quest for gold.

Bednarek was first on the track in Wednesday's semifinal races in Paris, as the Rice Lake sprinter won in a time of 20 seconds. He got off to a quick start and led the entire race, only facing slight competition down the straight away from Dominican Republic's Alexander Ogando, who finished in 20.09, to also advance.

"I'm just trying to dominate," Bednarek told NBC's Lewis Johnson. "Every time I step on the track it's me against everybody else, and I try to come out with the win."

There will be a new gold medalist this Olympics after Canada's Andre De Grasse failed to qualify for the finals. He was third in the first heat that featured Bednarek and Ogando, and De Grasse's time of 20.41 ranked 10th overall.

The final of the 200 meters is Thursday at 1:30 p.m. Central time. The Rice Lake High School auditorium will be open for viewing during the Olympic final.

Defending world champion from 2023, American Noah Lyles, also advanced to the finals after he was second in his semifinal heat in 20.08. Botswana's Letsile Tebogo won the heat with the fastest time overall at 19.96.

All three Americans advanced to the finals as Erriyon Knighton won the third and final heat in 20.1. Other qualifiers for the finals are Hopkins, Minnesota's Joseph Fahnbulleh, who competes for Liberia, and Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaise Charambe, both of Zimbabwe.

In the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Bednarek won a silver medal in the 200 with a time of 19.68, finishing only behind's De Grasse's 19.62. Lyles took the bronze and Knighton placed fourth.

At the Olympic trials in June, Bednarek ran his personal best 19.59. He was only eclipsed late by Lyles, who finished in 19.53.

After the Olympics semifinal, Johnson flash backed to the trials as he asked Bednarek, "at the Olympic trials you were not afraid to mince words about what you were intending to do. Now that you're in this final, what is that?"

"I intend to win," Bednarek said. "I came here to win and that's one thing that's on my mind."