Polish speedway racer Bartosz Zmarzlik clinches fifth world title

Polish speedway icon Bartosz Zmarzlik has secured his fifth world title with one competition remaining in the season.

Polish speedway racer Bartosz Zmarzlik.

Photo: EPA/FRANK CILIUS

The 29-year-old finished runner-up at the Speedway Grand Prix in Vojens, Denmark, on Saturday, further extending his lead over his closest competitors.

With this result, Zmarzlik has built a sufficient advantage to guarantee the gold medal ahead of the final Grand Prix of the year in Toruń, north-central Poland, broadcaster Eurosport reported.

Nights like these are what dreams are made of 🔥

History made with a new #SGP Winner and a 5x World Champion the outcome of the #DanishSGP 🇩🇰#FIMSpeedwayGP | #BARTO5Z pic.twitter.com/GK5d7fkSxc

— FIM Speedway Grand Prix (@SpeedwayGP) September 15, 2024

Zmarzlik clinched his first world championship in 2019, becoming the third Pole to achieve this feat after Jerzy Szczakiel in 1973 and Tomasz Gollob in 2010.

Speedway has a massive fan base in the country, and Zmarzlik was in January named as the runner-up Polish athlete of the year for 2023 following a public vote.

He finished narrowly behind tennis ace Iga Świątek and ahead of volleyball player Aleksander Śliwka.

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Source: IAR, PAP