Jerzy Szczakiel

Jerzy Szczakiel (born 29 January 1949, in Grudzice, Poland) is a retired Speedway rider. He is one of two Polish nationals to win the Speedway World Championship, the other being 2010 World champion Tomasz Gollob.

Jerzy Szczakiel first appeared in a World Final in 1970 at the Olympic Stadium in Wroclaw, Poland where he was a reserve for the Final but did not ride on the day. He rode in the World Final in 1971 at the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden where he failed to score in his five rides. Szczakiel's next (and last) World Final was in 1973 at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów, Poland. In front of the largest crowd in world speedway history (estimated to be around 130,000), he scored 13 points, winning his first 3 rides and finishing 2nd in his last two. He won the title after a run-off with the defending champion Ivan Mauger of New Zealand after both riders tied on 13 points. Mauger fell in the run-off, leaving Szczakiel to finish unchallenged and win the championship. Fellow countryman Zenon Plech finished third. Before the meeting, Szczakiel was considered a rank outsider to win the championship with all eyes on Mauger, 1971 champion Ole Olsen, Plech and Swede Anders Michanek.

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