Leigh Adams facts for kids

Leigh Scott Adams (born 28 April 1971) is a famous Australian former motorcycle speedway rider. He was known for his amazing speed and skill on the track. Leigh won many important races, including several Speedway Grand Prix events. He also helped his country, Australia, win the Speedway World Team Championship multiple times.

One of Leigh's biggest achievements is winning a record ten Australian individual championships. He also won four Australian Under-21 Championships and the World Under-21 Championship in 1992.

Quick facts for kids
Leigh Adams

Born	(1971-04-28) 28 April 1971 (age 54) Mildura, Victoria
Nationality	Australian
Career history
Great Britain
1990–1992, 1997–1998, 2004–2010	Swindon Robins
2001–2002	Oxford Cheetahs
1999–2000	King's Lynn Stars
1996	London Lions
1993–1995	Arena-Essex Hammers
1989, 2003	Poole Pirates
Poland
1991–1992, 1994–1995	Lublin
1993	Wrocław
1996–2010	Leszno
Sweden
1995–1996	Vetlanda
1998–1999	Indianerna
2000–2008	Masarna
2009–2010	Lejonen
Denmark
2010	Esbjerg
Speedway Grand Prix statistics
Starts	105
Podiums	15 (8-2-5)
Finalist	20 time
Winner	8 times
Individual honours
1993	Commonwealth Champion
1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009	Australian Champion
1992	World Under-21 Champion
1988, 1990, 1991, 1992	Australian Under-21 Champion
1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995	Victorian State Champion
1994, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003	Jack Young Solo Cup winner
1996	Edward Jancarz Memorial winner
1997, 1998, 2000	Australian Masters Series 500 Champion
1999	Australian Long Track Champion
1999, 2000, 2001, 2004	Golden Helmet of Pardubice
2000, 2008	Alfred Smoczyk Memorial winner
2009	Elite League Riders' Championship
Team honours
1999	World Team Cup winner
2001, 2002	World Cup Winner
2001, 2003	Elite League Champion
2003	Elite League KO Cup Winner
2004, 2005	Elite League Pairs Winner
2003	British League Cup Winner
2008	Elite Shield Winner
2007	Ekstraliga Champion
1992	Australian Pairs Champion

Early Career in Australia

Leigh Adams grew up in Mildura, Australia. This town was also home to another speedway champion, Phil Crump. Phil became Leigh's mentor, helping him learn and improve. Leigh started racing speedway in 1979 when he was very young.

He quickly became one of Australia's best junior riders. In 1986, at just 15 years old, Leigh won the Australian Under-16 championship. After that, he moved up to race with the senior riders in 1987.

Junior Championships

Leigh won his first Australian Under-21 Championship in 1988. He went on to win this title three more times: in 1990, 1991, and 1992. This made him one of the most successful junior riders in Australian history.

In 1992, Leigh achieved a huge goal. He won the World Under-21 Championship in Germany. He was the first Australian to win this title since 1983.

Australian Senior Championships

Leigh Adams became a champion in senior speedway too. He won the Australian Solo Championship ten times! His first win was in 1992, and his last was in 2009. This is a record for the most Australian Solo Championship wins.

He also won the Victorian State Championship six times. His first win was in 1989, beating his mentor Phil Crump. People called them "The Master and the Apprentice."

International Racing Career

Leigh Adams started racing internationally in 1988. He first went to England and rode for the Poole Pirates. He then joined the Swindon Robins in 1990 to race in a higher league.

Grand Prix Success

The Speedway Grand Prix is a series of races where the best riders from around the world compete. Leigh joined the Grand Prix series in 1996. He quickly showed he was one of the top riders.

In 2002, Leigh won his first Grand Prix event in Sweden. He continued to win more Grand Prix races over the years. In 2007, he had his best Grand Prix season, finishing second overall in the world. He won three Grand Prix rounds that year.

Team Achievements

Leigh was also a key part of the Australian national team. He helped Australia win the Speedway World Team Cup in 1999. Then, he helped them win the Speedway World Cup twice, in 2001 and 2002.

He also had great success with his club teams in England and Poland. He won the British Elite League Championship with Oxford Cheetahs in 2001 and Poole Pirates in 2003. With Poole, he also won the Knock-Out Cup and British League Cup in 2003.

In 2008, Leigh became the Swindon Robins' all-time top points scorer. He scored more points for the club than any other rider in its history. In 2009, he won the Elite League Riders' Championship, which is a big individual award for riders in the British league.

Leigh Adams, who rode for Unia Leszno from 1996 to 2010

Retirement and Life After Racing

In 2010, Leigh Adams announced he was retiring from speedway. He had raced internationally for 20 years, plus his junior career.

After retiring, Leigh wanted to try new challenges. In 2011, he entered the Finke Desert Race, a tough off-road motorcycle race in Australia. Sadly, during a training ride, he had a serious accident. He crashed his motorbike and suffered severe injuries to his spine and ribs. He received medical care and worked hard on his recovery.

Later, from 2012 to 2013, Leigh shared his knowledge of racing by providing television commentary for Australia's World Series Sprintcars series.

Family Life

Leigh Adams has a son named Declan. In 2014, Declan followed in his father's footsteps. He finished third in the Australian Under-16 Championship, showing that racing talent runs in the family!

Major Career Honours

Leigh Adams won many titles throughout his career:

• 1986: Australian Under-16 Champion
• 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992: Australian Under-21 Champion (a record four times)
• 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995: Victorian State Champion
• 1992: World Under-21 Champion
• 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009: Australian Champion (a record ten times)
• 1993: Commonwealth Champion
• 1997, 1998, 2000: Australian Masters Series 500 Champion
• 1999: World Team Cup Champion
• 2001, 2002: World Cup Champion
• 2001, 2003: British Elite League Champion
• 2007: Polish Ekstraliga Champion
• 2009: Elite League Riders' Champion

World Championship Appearances

Leigh Adams competed in many world championship events:

Individual World Championship

• 1993: Finished 15th in the Individual Speedway World Championship.

World Pairs Championship

• 1990: Finished 2nd with Australia.
• 1992: Finished 7th with Australia.
• 1993: Finished 6th with Australia.

World Team Cup

• 1994: Finished 4th with Australia.
• 1995: Finished 5th with Australia.
• 1999: Winner with Australia.
• 2000: Finished 4th with Australia.

World Cup

• 2001: Winner with Australia.
• 2002: Winner with Australia.
• 2003: Finished 2nd with Australia.
• 2006: Finished 4th with Australia.
• 2007: Finished 3rd with Australia.
• 2008: Finished 4th with Australia.
• 2009: Finished 2nd with Australia.

Individual Under-21 World Championship

• 1989: Finished 7th.
• 1992: Winner.

Speedway Grand Prix Results

Leigh Adams competed in the Speedway Grand Prix series for many years.

Grand Prix Wins

Leigh Adams won 8 Grand Prix events:

• 1: 2002 Speedway Grand Prix of Scandinavia
• 2: 2003 Speedway Grand Prix of Slovenia
• 3: 2004 Speedway Grand Prix of Sweden
• 4: 2007 Speedway Grand Prix of Sweden
• 5: 2007 Speedway Grand Prix of Scandinavia
• 6: 2007 Speedway Grand Prix of Latvia
• 7: 2008 Speedway Grand Prix of Europe
• 8: 2008 Speedway Grand Prix of Scandinavia

Images for kids

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  Leigh Adams, who rode for Unia Leszno from 1996 to 2010