Darcy Stephen Ward (born 4 May 1992 in Nanango, Queensland) is an Australian former

motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that ...

rider who won the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Australian Under-21 Championships as well as the

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...

and 2010 World Under-21 Championships. His career was ended by spinal injuries sustained in a crash in 2015.

Career history

Junior career

Darcy Ward started his speedway career as a junior in his native

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

. He qualified for five Australian Under-16 Championships from 2003–2007, with a best finish of second in 2005 and again in 2007.

2009

In the 2009 season he rode for Unibax Toruń (

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...

King's Lynn Stars King's Lynn Stars are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the SGB Premiership. The nickname "Stars" comes from the defunct Norwich Stars team. The team was founded in 1965 and has been running continually since then, except for 1996 when ...

(

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

). and AC Landshut (Germany). Ward's first meeting in the Polish Ekstraliga was the Pomeranian-Kuyavian Derby between Toruń and

Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...

at Polonia Stadium. In this match he scored seven points and one bonus (2,1*,0,1,3). Toruń won his meeting 51–39. Unibax Toruń won regular season and after play-off qualify to the Ekstraliga Final. In the final meetings, Ward scoring 11 points and his team lost to Falubaz Zielona Góta 80:88. In total, Ward scoring 63 points, 11 bonus points in 53 heats (10 meetings) and was qualify on 34th place (Average 1.396). Ward won the 2009 World Under-21 Championship in

Goričan Goričan ( hu, Muracsány) is a municipality in Međimurje County, Croatia. Goričan is the only village belonging to the municipality. Its population in the 2011 census was 2,823. Of the entire population, 2,763 people identified themselves as Cr ...

, Croatia with 13 points. He also rode for Australia team at the Under-21 World Cup. In a Qualifying Round One he scored a maximum 15 points, but Australia finished third and were knocked out of the competition. At home in Australia, Ward won the Australian Under-21 Championship in

Gosford Gosford is the city and administrative centre of the Central Coast Council local government area in the heart of the Central Coast region, about north of Sydney and about south of Newcastle. The city centre is situated at the northern ext ...

, the first of three straight Under-21 titles. He also finished ninth in his first run at the senior Australian Championship held over three rounds. Ward also won the Queensland Under-21 Championship in 2009. With the King's Lynn Stars in Britain's

Premier League The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...

, Ward won the League Championship,

Knockout Cup A single-elimination, knockout, or sudden death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final matc ...

and

Premier Trophy The Major League Tournament (formerly known as the Premier Trophy) is the main domestic first-class cricket competition in Sri Lanka. It was established in 1938 and has existed under a number of different names. Matches before the 1988–89 seas ...

2010

In 2010, Ward signed with Elite League team the

Poole Pirates Poole Pirates (also known as Poole Speedway) are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the SGB Championship. The club have been the List of United Kingdom speedway league champions, champions of the United Kingdom on ...

. Poole finished second in the 2010 Elite League. At home he won his second straight Australian Under-21 title at

Mildura Mildura is a regional city in north-west Victoria, Australia. Located on the Victorian side of the Murray River, Mildura had a population of 34,565 in 2021. When nearby Wentworth, Irymple, Nichols Point and Merbein are included, the area h ...

's Olympic Park Speedway. Ward finished the meeting in third place on 11 points, but went on to win the 4-lap final. He then finished third in the three round Australian Championship behind

Chris Holder Christopher Robert Holder (born 24 September 1987 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian speedway rider currently riding for Lejonen in the Swedish Elitserien and for Apator Toruń in the Polish Speedway Ekstraliga. He became the Aus ...

and fellow Queenslander

Troy Batchelor Troy Matthew Batchelor (born 29 August 1987) is an Australian speedway rider. Career Australia Born in Brisbane, Queensland, Troy Batchelor enjoyed his first success when he won the 2001 Queensland and New South Wales Under-16 championships a ...

. Ward also won the New South Wales Championship at the

Oakburn Park Speedway Oakburn is a community in the Municipality of Shoal Lake, Manitoba, Canada. Oakburn is located at the junction of Highway #21 and #45, 14 km north of Shoal Lake. It began when the Canadian National Railway was built in 1906. Although it was name ...

in Tamworth.

2011

In January 2011, Darcy became Australian Under-21 Champion for the third time at his home track, the

North Brisbane Speedway Banyo is a northern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Banyo had a population of 5,868 people. It is a community split between residential and industrial land usage, the latter being attracted by the accessibility ...

, and thus emulating Chris Holder and

Leigh Adams Leigh Scott Adams (born 28 April 1971 in Mildura, Victoria)Oakes, P.(2004). ''British Speedway Who's Who''. is an Australian former motorcycle speedway rider. He is a multiple Speedway Grand Prix winner and World Team Champion. He als ...

in claiming a straight hat-trick of titles. His 2011 win was a carbon copy of his 2010 win - third on 11 points before winning the Final. He then finished a career best second in the four round Australian Championship behind Holder and in front of

Davey Watt David John Watt (born 6 January 1978 in Townsville, Queensland) is a former international motorcycle speedway rider from Australia. He won the Queensland state championship in 2005 and was a member of the Australian team that finished second ...

. In the 2011 season, starting in March, Ward rode for Poole Pirates (Great Britain), Lejonen (Sweden) and Gdańsk (Poland). On Saturday, 27 August Ward made his FIM Speedway Grand Prix debut as a Wildcard in Toruń, where he claimed 3rd place. Largely due to his impressive performance at Toruń, Ward was subsequently nominated as the Wildcard for the season's final Grand Prix at Gorzów Wielkopolski on Saturday, 8 October. Ward was classified as sixth in the Grand Prix after the meeting was abandoned due to bad weather and deteriorating track conditions after sixteen of the scheduled twenty-three races had been completed. Ward's successful appearances led to him being offered a permanent place in the 2012 Grand Prix series, however, Ward subsequently rejected the offer in favour of riding for Toruń in the Polish Ekstraliga.

2012

Ward missed a place in the

2012 Speedway Grand Prix The 2012 Speedway Grand Prix season was the 67th edition of the official World Championship and the 18th season of the Speedway Grand Prix era, deciding the FIM Speedway World Championship. It was the twelfth series under the promotion of Benfield ...

series. He finished second with Poole in the Elite League. He also rode for Australia in the 2012 Speedway World Cup Final at the

G&B Stadium The Skrotfrag Arena is a 15,000-capacity multi-use stadium in Målilla, Sweden. The stadium is regularly used as the venue for the World Championship races; the Speedway Grand Prix of Scandinavia and the Speedway Grand Prix of Sweden (rounds of ...

Målilla Målilla () is a locality in Hultsfred Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 1,524 inhabitants in 2010. It is more commonly known as the temperature capital of Sweden due to records, both high and low, being set there. A Swedish record high ...

, Sweden where he scored 7 points to help the Aussies to a second-place finish behind

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establishe ...

2013–2014

Ward won his place in the 2013 Speedway Grand Prix as one of the 15 permanent riders. He won his first ever SGP when he took out the Grand Prix of Denmark at the

Parken Stadium Parken Stadium, also known simply as Parken and as Telia Parken (2014–2020), is a football stadium in the Indre Østerbro (''Inner Østerbro'') district of Copenhagen, Denmark, built from 1990 to 1992. The stadium, which features a retractabl ...

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

, and two rounds later finished second in the Grand Prix of Latvia. Ward would eventually finish 8th with 106 points from the 12 round series, though he did not race in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. Th ...

and

. As part of the Australian team, Ward finished third in the 2013 Speedway World Cup Final. He also rode for the Poole Pirates, winning the Elite League title. Darcy Ward won the 2013

Golden Helmet of Pardubice The Golden Helmet of Pardubice (Czech: Zlatá přilba) is a speedway competition hosted annually in Pardubice, the Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known a ...

, joining other Australian's Leigh Adams,

Jason Crump Jason Philip Crump (born 6 August 1975) is an Australian international motorcycle speedway rider. He is a three-time Speedway World Champion, a World Cup winner and a former World Under-21 Champion. In a 21-year career in Speedway, Jason C ...

and

Ryan Sullivan Ryan Geoffrey Sullivan (born 20 January 1975, in Fitzroy, Victoria) is a retired Australian international Motorcycle speedway rider who has won the Australian senior, Under-21, and Under-16 championships during his career. Sullivan achiev ...

as a winner of the Golden Helmet, the oldest speedway race in the world having been first run in 1929. On 17 August 2014, Ward was excluded from the Latvian FIM Speedway Grand Prix in Daugavpils after failing an alcohol test. The FIM later provisionally suspended Ward (effective 28 August 2014) which saw him miss the 2015 Australian Championship. Although Ward wanted to return to Polish club KS Apator Toruń after his suspension, he did not want to displace any current contracted riders.

2015

After returning from his FIM suspension, Ward was riding for Polish league team

Zielona Góra Zielona Góra is the largest city in Lubusz Voivodeship, located in western Poland, with 140,403 inhabitants (2021). Zielona Góra has a favourable geographical position, being close to the Polish-German border and on several international road ...

on Sunday 23 August when he suffered a heavy crash in Heat 15 after catching Grudziadz rider

Artem Laguta Artem Grigoryevich Laguta (russian: Артём Григорьевич Лагута; born 13 November 1990) is a Russian motorcycle speedway rider and member of the Russian national team. He is the 2021 World Champion. Career details Laguta be ...

's back wheel. Ward was thrown awkwardly from his bike, landing on the back of his neck as he hit the safety fence. Reports confirmed that the crash left him with no lower body feeling. He was transported to hospital where he underwent spinal surgery. Poole Pirates owner Matt Ford later reported that Ward had been moved to an undisclosed hospital in the UK where he has regained some movement of his arms. Ford also plans to stage a benefit meeting for Ward at Wimborne Road later in the year. In Australia, Gillman Speedway promoter Dave Parker also announced a tribute meeting for Ward to be held at the

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...

speedway on 7 November with the gate proceeds going to Darcy Ward to help with his medical costs. The Gillman event was won by Ward's close friend

(who also did 4 quick laps of the track as the passenger on Mark Plaisted's 1000cc

sidecar A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, making the whole a three-wheeled vehicle. A motorcycle with a sidecar is sometimes called a ''combination'', an ''outfit'', a ''rig'' or a ''hack''. ...

). In late 2015 Ward left the UK to continue his rehab at the Making Strides rehab centre in Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast.

2021

In February 2021 Ward became a promoter and founded Darcy Ward Speedway Promotions in Australia. Ward now creates and promotes speedway meetings in Australia, where speedway continues to operate largely unaffected by the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

. In an interview on the Torque and Chatter Podcast, Ward confirmed he is working with other riders to expand his events internationally. Darcy Ward Speedway Promotion events also raised money to help sick children all over Australia have access to vital medical equipment needed for their treatment.

Personal life

His father, George Ward, was also a speedway rider. In May 2012, Ward was charged with one count of sexual assault in the UK after an incident on 17 August 2011 where he allegedly sexually assaulted a drunken teenager in her hotel room after a race meeting in Dorset, England. Darcy was cleared of the charge on 22 May 2012. On 20 October 2012, Ward was injured in an altercation outside the Churchill Arms, Sturminster Marshall, whilst out with a group of friends including his Poole Pirates team manager Neil Middleditch. Ward suffered a head injury after hitting his head on the floor following a punch during the fight. The injury caused Ward to miss the second leg of the British Elite League Play-off Final. No charges were pressed. On 13 February 2013 Ward appeared before Ipswich Magistrates Court, Queensland, to plead guilty to driving under the influence of liquor or a drug, failing to stop for the police, driving without a licence and driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle. Ward pleaded guilty and was fined £3275.68 and was disqualified from driving for two years. Ward subsequently issued a public apology.

World Finals Appearances

Individual World Championship

* 2011 - 16th - 22pts *

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment ...

- 8th - 106pts *

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

- 14th - 75pts

World Cup

* 2011 -

Gorzów Wielkopolski Gorzów Wielkopolski (; german: Landsberg an der Warthe) often abbreviated to Gorzów Wlkp. or simply Gorzów, is a city in western Poland, on the Warta river. It is the second largest city in the Lubusz Voivodeship with 120,087 inhabitants (Dece ...

, Edward Jancarz Stadium - 2nd - 45pts (4) *

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

- 2nd - 39pts (7) *

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

, Marketa Stadium - 3rd - 33pts (9) *

Polonia Bydgoszcz Stadium Polonia may refer to: * Poland, in Latin Places * Polonia Maior or Greater Poland, a historical region of Poland *Polonia Minor or Lesser Poland, a historical region of Poland * Polonia, Manitoba, Canada * Polonia, Texas, United States * Poloni ...

- 3rd - 36pts (10)

Individual U-21 World Championship

Stadium Milenium The Stadium Milenium or Speedway Stadion Milenium is a 7,500-capacity multi-use stadium between Donji Kraljevec and Goričan Goričan ( hu, Muracsány) is a municipalities of Croatia, municipality in Međimurje County, Croatia. Goričan is the ...

- Winner - 13pts *

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

- // - Winner - 35+3pts * 2011 - /// - 2nd - 46+3pts

Under-21 World Cup

Gniezno Gniezno (; german: Gnesen; la, Gnesna) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. One of the Piast dynasty's chief cities, ...

, Stadion Start Gniezno S.A. - 2nd - 44pts (14) * 2013 Team Speedway Junior World Championship -

Pardubice Pardubice (; german: Pardubitz) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 89,000 inhabitants. It is the capital city of the Pardubice Region and lies on the Elbe River. The historic centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monume ...

, Svítkova Stadion - 4th - 20pts (11)

Speedway Grand Prix results

Domestic competitions

Australia

Australian Championship

(3 rounds) - 9th - 34pts * 2010 (3 rounds) - 3rd - 51pts * 2011 (4 rounds) - 2nd - 63pts + 3pts - 1st at Olympic Park Speedway (Rd.4)

Australian Under-21 Championship

* 2009 - Gosford Speedway - Winner - 14pts * 2010 - Olympic Park Speedway - Winner - 11pts (3rd) - 1st in Final * 2011 - North Brisbane Speedway - Winner - 11pts (3rd) - 1st in Final

Australian Under-16 Championship

* 2003 - Bibra Lake Speedway - 13th - 5pts * 2004 - Olympic Park Speedway - 14th - 2pts * 2005 - Allen Park Speedway - 2nd - 12pts (4th) - 2nd in Final * 2006 - Sidewinders Speedway - 5th - 9pts * 2007 - Gold Coast Speedway - 2nd - 12pts (3rd) - 2nd in Final

Queensland Under-21 Championship

* 2009 - North Brisbane Speedway - Winner

New South Wales Championship

* 2010 - Oakburn Park Speedway - Winner

Great Britain

(Britain) *

- Winner for

Premier League Knockout Cup * 2009 - Winner for

* 2009 - Winner for

Elite League (Britain) *

- 2nd for

* 2011 - Winner for