Legend Freddie's Cardiff call

Legendary British speedway star Freddie Williams is to present the winner’s trophy at this summer’s eagerly anticipated FIM Fogo British Speedway Grand Prix. The flying Welshman twice took the world speedway crown in the 1950s and now - 62 years on from his first title - he’s set to take centre stage again. The FIM Fogo British Speedway Grand Prix takes place on Saturday, August 25 at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, just 30 miles from where the GB and Wembley Lions ace grew up in the steel town Port Talbot. To mark his new status as 2012 trophy presenter, he travelled back to Wales to meet one of the country’s modern sporting greats, rugby star Adam Jones. Freddie, aged 86, said: “It’ll be a great thrill to present the trophy in Cardiff on August 25. I regularly attend the FIM British Speedway Grand Prix at the Millennium Stadium – it’s a great event in a great venue. “I told Adam that I thought rugby players were mad with the physicality of their sport these days. He thought speedway riders were mad and said that at least the rugby boys only have to fall on grass! “I follow the Wales team from my home in Berkshire and am amazed at their recent three Grand Slam successes and their high levels of skill and fitness. They went so close to beating their Southern Hemisphere hoodoo in Australia this summer that I’m confident they’ll achieve still more in the coming season.” Adam Jones, aged 31, a prop forward with the British Lions, Wales and the Ospreys, said: “I’ve heard great things about speedway – the 40,000-plus fans at the Millennium Stadium on August 25 can’t be wrong! “Cardiff Is a fabulous venue for a world-class event like this and it’s right that a world great like Freddie is given the honour of handing over the trophy. I’m just glad it’s not me on a speedway bike; I don’t think they’re built for prop forwards!” This season’s FIM Speedway Grand Prix series began with the first ever SGP in New Zealand. At the halfway point in the dramatic 12-round series, defending SGP champion Greg Hancock (USA) is leading the field. He said: “Everyone knows what Freddie achieved in his career and we all want to have the honour of him presenting us with the GB trophy this year. “Right now I’m delighted to have a nine-point lead in the series, but I can feel the talent breathing down my neck. Jason Crump, despite his new injury, Chris Holder and Nicki Pedersen make for a dogged and hungry chasing pack.” The six-month SGP series features the likes of former champion Tomasz Gollob (Poland). British hopes rest with Truro-born Coventry star Chris Harris. Other SGP aces starring for British clubs right now include Danes Kenneth Bjerre (Peterborough), Bjarne Pedersen (Birmingham) and Hans Andersen (Swindon), Swede Fredrik Lindgren (Wolverhampton) and Australia's Chris Holder. The next SGP showdown comes on Saturday in Gorican, Croatia. BSI Speedway managing director Paul Bellamy said: "We’re thrilled to have one of Britain's all-time greats presenting the trophy in front of a huge crowd in Cardiff on August 25. “Britain’s in the middle of an exceptional summer of sport and the FIM British Speedway GP will top it off!” Tickets for the British SGP in Cardiff on Saturday, August 25 start at £29 adults; £19 U16s and OAPs and family tickets are £93. Visit speedwaygp.com or ticketmaster.co.uk.