Zbigniew Raniszewski (22 April 1927 – 21 April 1956) was a motorcycle speedway rider from Poland.[1][2]
 | |
| Born | 22 April 1927 Toruń, Poland |
|---|---|
| Died | 21 April 1956 (aged 28) Vienna, Austria |
| Nationality | Polish |
| Career history | |
| Poland | |
| 1946–1951 | TKM Toruń |
| 1951–1956 | Gwardia Bydgoszcz |
| Individual honours | |
| 1951, 1955 | Polish Individual Speedway Championship bronze |
| 1951, 1953 | Criterium of Aces |
| Team honours | |
| 1955 | Polish league champion |
Career
editRaniszewski started his speedway career with TKM Toruń (Toruński Klub Motocyklowy), the club in the city he was born and bred in. In 1951, he joined Gwardia Bydgoszcz and his first league season was during the 1951 Polish speedway season.[1] It turned out to be his breakthrough season because he won the bronze medal behind Włodzimierz Szwendrowski and Alfred Spyra in the Polish Individual Speedway Championship[3] and also won the silver medal in the Team Speedway Polish Championship.[4]
As a member of the Gwardia Bydgoszcz team he went on to win a silver medal in 1953. He was also twice winner of the Criterium Aces at his home track in 1951 and 1953.[5]
In 1955, he won another bronze medal at the Individual Polish Championship and won the Polish league title with Gwardia Bydgoszcz.[6]
On 21 April 1956, he was representing Poland against Austria at the Praterstadion in Vienna, when he lost his life in a crash. On the first bend he hit a set of stairs that had not been protected by a safety fence.[7] Before the news of his death reached England he had been named in the Polish team to tour the United Kingdom in May of 1956.[8]
After his death the KS Apator Stadium was prefixed with his name as a mark of respect.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Zbigniew Raniszewski". Polish Speedway Database. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ "Zbigniew Raniszewski 1927 -1956". Raniszewski.com. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ "Polish Individual Speedway Championship". Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ "Polish Team Championship DMP". Speedway.hg. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ "Historia Speedway Polsce 1953". Speedway History. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ "Historia Speedway Polsce 1955". Speedway History. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ "Zbigniew Raniszewski". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ "Polish speedway team visits England". Halifax Evening Courier. 4 May 1956. Retrieved 10 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.