Tony Olsson

Tony Olsson
Born (1965-03-13) 13 March 1965
Visby, Sweden
Nationality  Sweden
Current club information
Career status Retired
Career history
1982-1992, 1996-1998 Bysarna (SWE)
1986-1990, 1993, 1995-1996 Reading Racers
1994-1995 Smederna (SWE)
1991, 1994 Swindon Robins
1992 Belle Vue Aces
1992 Exeter Falcons
1992 Ipswich Witches
Team honours
1990, 1992 British League Champions
1990 British League KO Cup Winners
1993 Premiership Winners
1992 BSPA Cup Winners
1993 British League Fours Champions
1994 British League Div. 2 Pairs Champion
1988 Swedish Elitserien Champion
1988 Swedish Pairs Champion
Not to be confused with the neo-Nazi and convicted murderer Tony Olsson (criminal).

John Tony Olsson (born 13 March 1965, Visby, Sweden)[1] is a former international motorcycle speedway rider. He was a member of the Sweden speedway team when they finished third in the 1988 and 1989 World Team Cup finals. He also represented his country at Test level.[2]

Career

Born on the Swedish island Gotland, Tony Olsson began his career with the club Bysarna. In 1982 he made his debut for the senior team and already 1983 he won Rider of the season. He twice finished runner-up in the Swedish Under-21 Championship in 1984 and 1985. One year later in 1986, Olsson finished runner-up in the World Under-21 Championship, despite suffering an engine failure in one heat. In 1988 he played a huge part in Bysarna becoming Swedish champions. The same year he won the Swedish Pairs Championship with former World Champion Per Jonsson. In 1991 he won it again with Dennis Löfqvist. In 1989 Olsson became the only Swedish rider to qualify for the World Final in Munich. In the only World Final of his career he finished in eighth place.

Olsson rode in the UK for the Reading Racers from 1986, where he became the team captain and then onto the Swindon Robins for a year in 1991 after he was forced out of Reading's line-up due to average restrictions after winning the British League Championship in 1990. He returned in 1993 after a loan spell with Belle Vue Aces.[3]

In 1994, whilst on loan again to the Swindon Robins, he won the British League Division Two Pairs Championship with partner Steve Langdon.

He returned to the Racers in 1995 and in his final season in 1996 he was voted 'Rider of the Year' by the Reading fans.[4]

Retirement

After his retirement he became the team manager of Sweden. As team manager he won the Speedway World Championship in 2003 and 2004. He now works as Race Director in the Speedway Grand Prix.

World Final Appearances

References

  1. ↑ Oakes, P (1991). 1991 Speedway Yearbook. ISBN 0-948882-20-4
  2. ↑ Oakes, P.(2005). British Speedway Who's Who. ISBN 0-948882-30-1
  3. ↑ Bamford, R.(2007). Speedway Yearbook 2007. ISBN 978-0-7524-4250-1
  4. ↑ Reading Speedway Official Website (accessed 2 October 2007)
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