Athlete Bio
David Kendziera
Born and raised northwest of Chicago, David was an all-state standout at Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, IL. During his senior year, David would earn state runner-up honors in the 110m hurdles and bring home the state championship in the 300m hurdles, in addition to being named the Daily Herald's Northwest Male Athlete of the Year. After high school, David took his talents to the Illini at the University of Illinois. While majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Informatics, he would set the University record for the 400mH (48.42), earn 10 All-American honors, and finish on the podium four times at the NCAA Championships. Running on the pro circuit, David continues to maximize his potential on the track. In 2018, he was the first athlete since 1941 to quality for the USA Championships in both the 100mH and 400mH, and in 2019, finished 5th in the 400mH at the Diamond League finals, earned a 400mH gold medal in a Team USA kit at the USA vs Europe Match, finishing the year ranked 9th in the world.
David is a yoga and meditation enthusiast and is all about maximizing potential - his and the potential of those around him. He says, "I have worked with the Illinois Human Performance Project as a guest speaker to help high school student leaders learn about how to optimize their leadership skills and become leaders of society by sharing my personal take on What is Success?" David also holds a Masters in Education Policy, Organization, & Leadership from the University of Illinois, and aspires to become a Division 1 level track & field coach.
