Maciej Jaworek

Maciej Jaworek
Born	24 February 1961 (age 63); Warka, Poland
Nationality	Polish
Career history
1979–1986, 1992–1993	Falubaz Zielona Góra
Individual honours
1986	Polish Champion
1982	Polish Junior Champion
1980, 1982	Poland Silver Helmet Winner
Team honours
1981, 1982, 1985	Polish League Champion

Maciej Jaworek (born 24 February 1961) is a former international speedway rider from Poland.^[1]

Speedway career

A protégé of Falubaz Zielona Góra, he started competing for them in 1978, when he obtained his license. Recognized as one of the most dynamic riders of the Zielona Góra club, his career development coincided with the club's successes. Following the departure of Henryk Olszak, he, along with Andrzej Huszcza and Jan Krzystyniak, became known as the "three musketeers," forming the backbone of Zielona Góra's speedway strength.

In the national speedway scene, he won almost everything. He was open to innovations from the West and effectively utilized the technical capabilities of the English Weslake factory. His talent developed during a period marked by the financial and technological decline of Polish speedway, largely due to international isolation and limited access to Western markets. This technological gap was a primary reason why he did not achieve international success.

In the Zielona Góra Falubaz team, he gradually climbed the internal hierarchy. In 1985, he gained the title of the unofficial leader, surpassing his club colleagues, Polish pair champions Krzystyniak and Huszcza, in the final of the Individual Speedway Polish Championship in Gorzów Wielkopolski.

The peak of his career came in 1986. In the league, he was unmatched, often scoring 17 or 18 points per match. He received support only from A. Huszcza, which is why the Zielona Góra team did not defend their championship title and finished the season in 4th place. In individual competitions, he advanced to the Continental Final of the 1986 Individual Speedway World Championship and won the title of Individual Speedway Polish Championship with a full score on his home track in Zielona Góra ^[2]^[3].

In the fall of 1986, Jaworek traveled to Germany. The trip, widely perceived as a big surprise, had been planned a year earlier. Despite several letters to the club management requesting an extension of his leave, he did not return in the spring of 1987 for the season opener. Jaworek felt that his sporting opportunities in Poland had come to an end and wanted to compete on Western equipment and face international competition. His departure was perceived in Poland as a betrayal, and his starts in the Speedway Bundesliga were initially blocked.

Only after two years was the penalty lifted, allowing him to compete in the German speedway league. In 1989, he competed for IG Neuenknick, finishing in 4th place, and in 1990, for MC Norden, finishing in 5th place, achieving an average of 2.833 ^[4].

In 1990, discussions about his return to the Polish league resurfaced. Jaworek returned to the Zielona Góra track in March 1992. He immediately became one of the leaders of the then Team Speedway Polish Championship. With his participation, the Morawski team won the title of Team Cup of Poland. He also advanced to the final of the Individual Speedway Polish Championship in Zielona Góra. However, the Zielona Góra club did not defend the title of Team Speedway Polish Championship.

The 1993 season began tragically for Morawski and M. Jaworek. In a sparring match against Unia Leszno, there was a collision in which the team lost Andrzej Zarzecki forever, and M. Jaworek was seriously injured, suffering a spinal fracture without nerve damage. He returned to the track in the last match of the season against Stal Gorzów Wielkopolski, but it was the end of his career.

Personal Life

Maciej Jaworek is married to Marzena, and they have two children: Caroline and Timo.^[5]

Team Competitions

MDMP:

III place 1979
Champion 1980

DMP:

III place 1979
Champion 1981
Champion 1982
IV place 1983
III place 1984
Champion 1985
IV place 1986
IV place 1992

Polish Cup:

Champion 1992

Pairs Competitions

MPPK:

III place 1986

Individual Competitions

Silver Helmet:

III place 1981
I place 1980 and 1982

MIMP:

Second runner-up 1981
Champion 1982

IMP:

III place 1985
Champion 1986

Bibliography

B.A. Łusiak, Macieja Jaworka bonus, zwycięstwo, wykluczenie i upadek, ZKZ SSA ZG, Wydanie 1, Zielona Góra 2011; ISBN 978-83-925001-9-3
Świat Żużla (Tygodnik Żużlowy), nr 3(51), rok 2002: Gwiazdozbiór polskiego żużla, J... jak Jaworek

References

^ "Poland v Italy". International Speedway. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
^ "Pamiętacie fantastyczne złoto Macieja Jaworka? To już 30 lat". zielonagora.wyborcza.pl. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
^ "24 lata temu Maciej Jaworek został Mistrzem Polski". zuzel.zgora.pl. 14 September 2010. Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
^ "MISTRZOSTWA RFN (WEST GERMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS)". Historia Sportu Żużlowego.
^ Konarski, Cezary. "Pradziwa historia mistrza Jaworka". Retrieved 2021-08-23.

[1] "Poland v Italy". International Speedway. Retrieved 27 July 2021.

[2] "Pamiętacie fantastyczne złoto Macieja Jaworka? To już 30 lat". zielonagora.wyborcza.pl. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2022.

[3] "24 lata temu Maciej Jaworek został Mistrzem Polski". zuzel.zgora.pl. 14 September 2010. Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 20 September 2022.

[4] "MISTRZOSTWA RFN (WEST GERMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS)". Historia Sportu Żużlowego.

[5] Konarski, Cezary. "Pradziwa historia mistrza Jaworka". Retrieved 2021-08-23.

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