FIM Speedway’s 2023 world champions received their gold medals alongside a galaxy of motorcycle stars at the FIM Awards in Liverpool on Saturday.
Speedway GP icon Bartosz Zmarzlik took to the stage to collect his fourth Speedway GP World Championship gold medal in five years as 58 world titles from the FIM's many motorcycle disciplines, also including the Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe-promoted FIM Endurance World Championship, were presented in front of 700 guests from around the world.
Zmarzlik was honoured as part of the FIM's Ultimate Champions group for 2023, also featuring Toni Bou (TrialGP), Steve Holcombe (EnduroGP), Luciano Benavides (W2RC), Jorge Prado (MXGP), Alvaro Bautista (Superbike) and Francesco Bagnaia (MotoGP), with the Pole receiving his medal from FIM president Jorge Viegas.
New Zealand’s four-time world champion Barry Briggs was inducted into an elite club of FIM track racing legends in the sport’s centenary year, before presenting this year’s champions with their medals alongside FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) director Armando Castagna.
Zmarzlik sealed the sport’s biggest prize in an epic final showdown with Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren, winning the DeWalt FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Torun on September 30 to clinch the crown and match Australian legend Jason Crump’s record of 23 Speedway GP wins in the process.
A delighted Zmarzlik said: “I am really happy I came back to my home country at the stadium in Torun and won, and it meant I could be here again with all the champions.”
His Lublin teammate Mateusz Cierniak picked up a second straight FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship gold medal after winning the opening two rounds in Czech capital Prague and Polish city Gorzow, before defying a dramatic semi-final disqualification at the final round in Vojens, Denmark to hold on to his crown on September 15.
Swedish youngster Rasmus Karlsson received his FIM Speedway Youth World Championship gold medal after a popular SGP3 victory on home shale in Malilla on July 14.
The delighted Karlsson, who makes his Bauhaus Elitserien debut with boyhood club Indianerna in 2024, was pleased his sensational title triumph earned him a place among the stars in Liverpool.
He said: “It was really special to win SGP3 because it was in Sweden. I am very honoured to be here in Liverpool, and I just want to congratulate all the champions.”
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