Byron Bekker
| Born | 2 July 1987 Johannesburg, South Africa |
|---|---|
| Nationality | South African |
| Career history | |
| Great Britain | |
| 2005 | Newcastle Gems |
| 2007 | Berwick Bandits |
| 2008-2009 | Scunthorpe Scorpions |
| 2009, 2011-2012 | Edinburgh Monarchs |
| 2010 | Weymouth Wildcats |
| Team honours | |
| 2007 | Conference League Fours |
Byron Anthony Bekker (born 2 July 1987, in Johannesburg) is a South African former motorcycle speedway rider, who rode in the British Premier League.[1][2][3]
Career
[edit]Bekker left South Africa aged 17, leaving Johannesburg for Coulby Newham in the Borough of Middlesbrough.[4]
Bekker started his British racing career in 2005 with Newcastle Gems where he rode seven meetings. He was quickly offered a contract with the clubs Premier League team, Newcastle Diamonds. However, with the Gems not having a team in the following season, he was sent to ride for Scunthorpe Scorpions in the Conference League to gain further experience. He made his debut at Sittingbourne Crusaders where he claimed a four ride paid maximum. The following weekend he scored eight on his home debut and five at Newport in two narrow victories. He was also three times within one point of a maximum around the Scunthorpe Raceway whilst his 8+3 points from five rides at Stoke Spitfires helped the club to a close one-point victory.
He rode in all 28 meetings that remained during the 2005 season and in the 2006 season he was the only ever-present in the side when his average (CMA) moved up to 6.67 from all meetings. He collected two maxima at home, against Newport and Weymouth Wildcats.
He scored sixteen points at the Norfolk Arena in King's Lynn as the Scorpions won the Lincolnshire Cup against Boston Barracudas.
He was part of the Scunthorpe team that won the Conference League Four-Team Championship, held on 18 May 2007 at Plymouth Coliseum.[5][6] While a Weymouth Wildcats rider in 2010, he dislocated a shoulder that then required pinning, which forced him to miss the remainder of the season.[7] However, he returned to ride Edinburgh Monarchs in 2011.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ Banford, Robert (1 March 2007). Tempus Speedway Yearbook 2007. NPI Media Group. ISBN 978-0-7524-4250-1.
- ^ "2008 Rider index" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Motorsport: Poetry in motion". Teesside Live. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "2007 fixtures and results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "FOURS FEVER HITS PLYMOUTH". British Speedway. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "Bekker is resigned to missing end of season". Dorset Echo. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Speedway: Joy for Bekker as he seals Monarchs return". The Scotsman. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- 1987 births
- Living people
- South African speedway riders
- Edinburgh Monarchs riders
- Expatriate speedway riders in Scotland
- Scunthorpe Scorpions riders
- Expatriate speedway riders in England
- Sportspeople from Johannesburg
- South African expatriate sportspeople in England
- South African expatriate sportspeople in Scotland