Mateusz Cierniak
{{Short description|Polish motorcycle speedway rider}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
| name = Mateusz Cierniak
| image =
| nationality = Polish
| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|3 October 2002}}
| birth_place = Tarnów, Poland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| career1 = Poland
| career2 = Lublin
| years2 = 2021–2024
| career3 = Sweden
| years4 = 2023–2024
| career4 = Lejonen
| career7 = Denmark
| career8 = Fjelsted
| years8 = 2024–2025
| SGP No =
| SGP starts = 1
| SGP finals = 0
| SGP win = 0
| indivyear1 = 2022, 2023
| indivhonour1 =World Under-21 champion
| indivyear2 =
| indivhonour2 =
| teamyear1 = 2022, 2023
| teamhonour1 = Team world U21 champion
| teamyear2 = 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
| teamhonour2 = Team European U23 champion
| teamyear3 = 2022, 2023, 2024
| teamhonour3 = Polish champions
| teamyear4 = 2024
| teamhonour4 = Swedish champions
}}
Mateusz Cierniak (born on 3 October 2002) is an international speedway rider from Poland.{{cite web |url=http://speedwayu21.com/en/rider/410/cierniak-mateusz.html|title=MATEUSZ CIERNIAK|website=Speedway u21|access-date=2 October 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygp.com/rider/mateusz-cierniak|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002100743/https://www.speedwaygp.com/rider/mateusz-cierniak|url-status=usurped|archive-date=2 October 2021|title=MATEUSZ CIERNIAK rider info|website=Speedway GP|access-date=2 October 2021}}
Speedway career
In 2021, Cierniak finished second in the Krosno round of the World Under 21 Championship. He was denied the chance to compete for the title itself after only being allowed to compete in one of the three rounds because he was not listed as one of the original qualified riders.{{cite news|url=http://speedwayu21.com/en/news/n/267/|title=MIŚKOWIAK WINS IN KROSNO. THE POLE IS THE NEW LEADER OF THE SERIES|publisher=Speedway U21|access-date=2 October 2021}}
Cierniak won the gold medal at the World Under-21 Championship in the 2022 SGP2{{cite news|url=https://sport.tvp.pl/63076451/zuzel-mateusz-cierniak-mistrzem-swiata-juniorow|title=Żużel. Mateusz Cierniak indywidualnym mistrzem świata juniorów|publisher=sport.tvp.pl|access-date=22 September 2022}} and the World U-21 Team Championship. Also in 2022, he helped Lublin win the 2022 Ekstraliga.{{cite web |url=https://speedwayekstraliga.pl/en/fixtures-results/pge-ekstraliga/?y=2022 |title=2022 results |website=PGE Ekstraliga |access-date=5 January 2023}}
In 2023, he won his second Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship, winning the 2023 Speedway of Nations 2{{cite web|url=https://www.fimspeedway.com/news/poles-pick-up-record-16th-world-under-21-team-title-at-dewalt-fim-son2-in-riga-vojens-2022|title=POLES PICK UP RECORD 16TH WORLD UNDER-21 TEAM TITLE AT DeWALT FIM SON2 IN RIGA |website=FIM | access-date=17 August 2023}} and his fourth Team Speedway Junior European Championship.{{cite web|url=https://results.fim-europe.eu/event/France,Macon,2023-07-22/European-Under-23-Team-Speedway-Championship-Final-1546/results/Final-9797 |title=European Under 23 Team Speedway Championship - Final |website=FIM |access-date=17 November 2023}}
He won a gold medal at the 2024 European Under 23 Team Speedway Championship for the fifth time.{{cite web |url=https://gazetalubuska.pl/medale-dla-mlodych-ze-stali-i-falubazu-tytul-mistrzow-dla-polakow/ar/c2-18762767 |title=Medals for the young from Stal and Falubaz. Champions title for the Poles |website=Gazeta Lubuska |access-date=28 August 2024}} Also in 2024, he helped Lejonen win the Elitserien during the 2024 Swedish speedway season{{cite web |url=https://www.svt.se/sport/speedway/lejonen-svenska-mastare-efter-15-ars-vantan |title=The Lions Swedish champions after 15 years of waiting: "So many failures" |website=SVT Nyheter |access-date=12 October 2024}} and helped Lublin win the Ekstraliga during the 2024 Polish speedway season.{{cite web |url=https://gazetawroclawska.pl/orlen-oil-motor-lublin-betard-sparta-wroclaw-5238-deklasacja-w-finale-sparta-wicemistrzem-polski/ar/c2-18861029 |title=ORLEN Oil Motor Lublin - Betard Sparta Wrocław 52:38. Deklasacja w finale, Sparta wicemistrzem Polski |website=Gazeta Wrocławska |access-date=12 October 2024}}
Major results
= World individual Championship =
- 2024 Speedway Grand Prix - =25th