"We gave it our best," Cowra's Matthew Gilmore said after captaining Team Australia at the FIM Team Speedway U21 World Championships.
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Gilmore lead the team to a narrow fourth place finish in the championships held in Bydgoszcz, Poland on Friday night.
"It's been an absolute privilege," Gilmore said after representing Australia as captain of the team.
Gilmore returned to race riding in early August after spending five weeks on the sidelines following a lucky escape from serious injury in an accident in Germany.
He fell heavily in that accident and was struck by another rider's bike. As a result he had very little feeling in the upper part of his body but scans taken when he arrived back in Poland, where he is now based, cleared the Cowra rider of any serious injury.
Poland took out the FIM title from Denmark with Great Britain in third position. The win was Poland's eighth consecutive win in the title.
Team Australia was one point away in fourth position. Behind Australia in the rankings were the Czech Republic, Latvia and Sweden.
Known as the "Joeys", Team Australia consisted of Gilmore, Queensland rider Keynan Rew with South Australian Brayden McGuiness named as a reserve.
Gilmore and Keynan are both contracted to Rawicz in Poland.
"It was great to ride alongside Keynan and Brayden, we gave it our best and finished fourth in the world," Gilmore said.
It was great to ride alongside Keynan and Brayden, we gave it our best and finished fourth in the world
- Matthew Gilmore
He thanked Aussie team manager Mark Lemon for his organisation, advice and encouragement which Gilmore said was greatly appreciated by the "Joeys".
"Thanks also to Motorcycling Australia for your ongoing support," he said.
Australian Speedway thanked all three riders and their hard working mechanics for proudly representing Australia.
Prior to leading the Joey's un the under 21 titles Gilmore took part in the first round of the Under 21 FIM Solo Speedway titles in U21 World Championship in Germany.
Currently sitting in fourteenth position after picking up points in two of his five rides, Gilmore has two further rounds to make ground on the leading group of riders dominated by Denmark's Denmark Mads Hansen and Poland's Jakub Mikowiak.
The second round will be held in Poland on September 25 with the Czech Republic hosting the third round on October 1.