Speedway GP racer Andzejs Lebedevs has been named Latvia’s Athlete of the Year in Technical Sports at the country’s prestigious Three Star Awards last night.
Lebedevs won the prize, decided by a combination of public, jury, media and athlete votes, with nominations invited by the Latvian Olympic Committee.
It has been an historic year for Lebedevs, who became the first Latvian rider to reach a Speedway GP podium – finishing third at the opening round of 2025 in Landshut, before repeating the feat in front of his home fans in Riga.
Lebedevs went on to achieve a career-best sixth place in the Speedway GP World Championship, finishing in the SGP automatic qualification places for the first time, before leading his country to their third FIM Speedway of Nations Final in five seasons.
The 2017 and 2024 European champion also took the silver medal in last year’s Speedway European Championship to qualify for the 2026 series.
FIM Speedway action returns to Riga, when the country stages its first-ever FIM Speedway World Cup event – FIM SWC Semi-Final 2 on Friday, August 7, which sees Latvia battle Denmark, Sweden and Norway for a place in the PZM FIM SWC Final in Warsaw on August 29.
The world’s top riders then go wheel-to-wheel on an upgraded Bikernieki track in the FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga on Saturday, August 8.