Freddie Williams (speedway rider)


Freddie Williams was a motorcycle speedway rider from Wales who was World Champion on two occasions. He was the winner of the Speedway World Championship in 1950 and 1953 and runner-up in 1952.

Career

Williams grew up in Port Talbot, where he was a classmate of Richard Burton, and they played together in the school rugby team. In 1941 he moved to Portsmouth where he started an apprenticeship in the dockyards as an engineer-fitter. He was a despatch rider in World War II, and began his speedway career as the war ended, after initially competing in grasstrack. After attending training sessions at Rye House, he was signed by Alec Jackson for the Wembley Lions, and in 1948 got a regular place in the team after injuries to George Wilks and Bill Kitchen.
Williams rode for the Wembley Lions for his entire career, from 1947 until 1956. Williams became the first British rider to win two World titles, a feat only matched by Peter Craven and Tai Woffinden.
Williams represented England in test match series, gaining his first cap in 1949.
In 1952 he married Olympic skater Pat Devries. His two younger brothers, Ian and Eric, were also speedway riders, and Freddie acted as Eric's mechanic at the 1957 World Final.
Williams presented the winner's trophy to Australian rider Chris Holder at the 2012 Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Like Williams, Holder would go on to become the World Champion at the end of the 2012 Speedway Grand Prix season. Williams finished second behind (Jack Young in the 1952 World Final at Wembley Stadium.
Williams died on 20 January 2013, aged 86, in the Great Western Hospital in Swindon following a stroke the previous day.
As of the 2014 World Championship, Williams is one of only seven British riders, and the only Welshman, to win speedway's ultimate individual prize.

World Final appearances