Jerzy Szczakiel facts for kids
| Born | 28 January 1949 Grudzice, Poland |
|---|---|
| Died | 1 September 2020 (aged 71) Opole, Poland |
| Nationality |  Poland |
| Career history | |
| 1967–1979 | Kolejarz Opole |
| Individual honours | |
| 1973 | World Champion |
| Team honours | |
| 1971 | World Pairs Champion |
Jerzy Szczakiel (born January 28, 1949 – died September 1, 2020) was a famous Polish speedway rider. He was one of only three Polish riders to ever win the top prize in speedway. This prize is the Speedway World Championship. The other two Polish champions are Tomasz Gollob (who won in 2010) and Bartosz Zmarzlik (who won in 2019).
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About Jerzy Szczakiel
Jerzy Szczakiel was a talented speedway rider from Poland. He became a national hero by winning the World Championship. His career was full of exciting races and big challenges. He showed great skill and determination on the track.
His Amazing Career
Jerzy Szczakiel first raced in a World Final in 1970. This race was held in Wroclaw, Poland. He was a reserve rider and did not get to race that day. In 1971, he rode in the World Final in Gothenburg, Sweden. He did not score any points in that race.
Winning the World Championship
Jerzy's biggest moment came in 1973. He raced in the World Final held in Chorzów, Poland. An estimated 130,000 people watched the race. This was one of the largest crowds in speedway history. Jerzy was not expected to win the championship.
He started the race incredibly well. He won his first three races. He then finished second in his last two races. This gave him a total of 13 points. He was tied with the defending champion, Ivan Mauger from New Zealand. They had to have a special race, called a run-off, to decide the winner. Mauger fell during the run-off. This allowed Jerzy Szczakiel to finish the race alone and win the championship! His fellow countryman, Zenon Plech, finished third.
World Team Cup Challenges
Just two weeks after becoming World Champion, Jerzy raced for Poland. This was in the 1973 Speedway World Team Cup final. It took place at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The Wembley track was known for being tricky. Jerzy had a bad crash in practice a few days before the race. He injured his leg. This crash affected his confidence. He struggled in the final and did not score any points. Poland finished in last place in that team event.
Other Big Wins
Jerzy Szczakiel also won the World Pairs Championship. He won it in 1971 with his teammate Andrzej Wyglenda. They won the final in Rybnik, Poland. Jerzy scored 15 points in that final.
Between 1971 and 1973, Jerzy raced against Ivan Mauger 13 times. He won 6 of those races. This included beating Mauger twice in the 1973 World Final.
Life After Racing
In Poland, Jerzy rode for the team Kolejarz Opole. He rode for them in the top league during the 1970s. He had to stop racing in 1980 because of a back injury. After retiring, he stayed involved with Kolejarz Opole. He became the team's manager until 1986. Later, he became an honorary member of the club.
Travel Restrictions
During his career, Jerzy Szczakiel faced some challenges. Unlike other Polish riders, he was not allowed to travel much. Polish authorities mostly let him race only in Europe. He rarely competed in Britain. After winning the 1973 World title, other champions invited him on a world tour. This tour would go to the USA, Australia, and New Zealand. However, Polish authorities did not let him go. They did allow other Polish riders to join the tour.
Personal Life
Jerzy Szczakiel was married and had three children. In his later life, he worked as a shoe importer. He passed away on September 1, 2020.
Major Race Results
Here are some of Jerzy Szczakiel's most important race appearances:
Individual World Championship
- 1970 -
Wroclaw, Olympic Stadium - Reserve - Did not ride - 1971 -
Gothenburg, Ullevi - 15th place - 0 points - 1973 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - Winner - 13 points + 3 points (in run-off)
World Pairs Championship
- 1971 - Rybnik, Rybnik Municipal Stadium (with Andrzej Wyglenda) - Winner - 30 points (Jerzy scored 15)
World Team Cup
- 1973 -
London, Wembley Stadium (with Pawel Waloszek / Edward Jancarz / Zenon Plech / Jan Mucha) - 4th place - 8 points (Jerzy scored 0) - 1974 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium (with Zenon Plech / Jan Mucha / Andrzej Jurczyński / Andrzej Tkocz) - 3rd place - 13 points (Jerzy scored 0)
