Bartosz Zmarzlik, the Polish speedway rider and the current world champion, clinched a thrilling victory at the Grand Prix in Swedish Målilla, the fifth round of the speedway world championships.
This marks his 24th GP victory in his career, surpassing the record held by Australian Jason Crump.
Bartosz Zmarzlik 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒔 in Manilla!!! 🥇#FIMSpeedwayGP pic.twitter.com/uk5xQgnjSW
— Eurosport (@eurosport) June 15, 2024
The event in Målilla began with nearly a two-hour delay due to rain. Organizers battled water and mud but managed to get the track race-ready. With the sky still heavily overcast and more rain expected, the competition proceeded at a rapid pace.
Despite the challenging conditions, the racing was filled with thrilling overtakes and excitement. The fourth starting position proved problematic for a while, but Zmarzlik broke the curse in the ninth race.
The world champion started the event with just one point but won his next two races. After three series, he was almost certain to advance to the semifinals. Similarly, Australian Jack Holder, who initially scored zero, won his next four races, securing first place after the main part of the competition.
Two other Polish riders, Szymon Woźniak and Dominik Kubera, battled for a place in the semifinals until the last series, eventually facing each other in a decisive race. Woźniak, with two wins, finished last and fell out of the top eight. Kubera, consistently finishing second, did so again in his final race of the main series, which was enough to stay in the tournament.
In the first semifinal, Holder and fellow Australian Max Fricke had the best starts, while Danish rider Mikkel Michelsen and Britain’s Daniel Bewley, last year’s winner in Målilla, could only follow.
The second semifinal featured Zmarzlik and Kubera among others. Zmarzlik, initially third off the start, gained speed, overtaking his compatriot and then the British rider Robert Lambert. Kubera couldn’t move up to third place and, along with Latvian Andrejs Lebedevs, was eliminated from the competition.
In the final, Fricke had the best start, but Zmarzlik launched a furious chase. On the second lap, the Pole made a successful attack and thereafter didn’t let anyone overtake him. This victory marked Zmarzlik’s 24th Grand Prix win, establishing him as the all-time leader in career GP victories.
Despite the challenging conditions, the racing was filled with thrilling overtakes and excitement. The fourth starting position proved problematic for a while, but Zmarzlik broke the curse in the ninth race.
The world champion started the event with just one point but won his next two races. After three series, he was almost certain to advance to the semifinals. Similarly, Australian Jack Holder, who initially scored zero, won his next four races, securing first place after the main part of the competition.
Two other Polish riders, Szymon Woźniak and Dominik Kubera, battled for a place in the semifinals until the last series, eventually facing each other in a decisive race. Woźniak, with two wins, finished last and fell out of the top eight. Kubera, consistently finishing second, did so again in his final race of the main series, which was enough to stay in the tournament.
In the first semifinal, Holder and fellow Australian Max Fricke had the best starts, while Danish rider Mikkel Michelsen and Britain’s Daniel Bewley, last year’s winner in Målilla, could only follow.
The second semifinal featured Zmarzlik and Kubera among others. Zmarzlik, initially third off the start, gained speed, overtaking his compatriot and then the British rider Robert Lambert. Kubera couldn’t move up to third place and, along with Latvian Andrejs Lebedevs, was eliminated from the competition.
In the final, Fricke had the best start, but Zmarzlik launched a furious chase. On the second lap, the Pole made a successful attack and thereafter didn’t let anyone overtake him. This victory marked Zmarzlik’s 24th Grand Prix win, establishing him as the all-time leader in career GP victories.
RECORD BREAKING BARTOSZ! 👑
— FIM Speedway Grand Prix (@SpeedwayGP) June 15, 2024
Zmarzlik's win tonight in Malilla is his 24th, overtaking the record of 23 wins held by Jason Crump 🙌#FIMSpeedwayGP | #3PLogistics | #SwedishSGP pic.twitter.com/5fgVAbwSu9
Source: Polish Radio 24, TVP World
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