Darts: World champ puts plumbing first

Jan 20 2008 by Our Correspondent, Wales On Sunday

WALES’ latest world champion is determined to turn his back on a lucrative sporting future – in favour of student life and county battles in obscure social clubs.

Mark Webster stormed into the sporting limelight last week when he became Wales’ first world darts champion for 13 years.

But the 24-year-old from Denbigh has turned his back on a move to big-spending rivals PDC, insisting he will stay loyal to the British Darts Organisation and complete his studies to become a plumber.

So, instead of lining up against the likes of Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld and fellow world champion in the PDC – whose schedule for the next year offers a prize pool of £4m – Webster will begin his reign as world champion today in a county match in the Forest of Dean.

“I don’t want to move to the PDC,” said Webster, who lines up alongside women’s world champion Anastasia Dobromyslova for Clwyd against Gloucestershire at the Oaklands Club in Cinderford – the first time both BDO world champions have lined up in the same county team.

“It’s very attractive with all the money they are pumping in, but I want to finish my plumbing course and get my qualification first.

“I’m three years into it and it would be a waste not to finish that. I’ve only got a year and a half left. I just want to carry on enjoying the sport because that’s what matters to me.”

Webster’s victory over Australian Simon Whitlock – which earned him £85,000 – made him the third Welshman to win the BDO title, after the successes of Leighton Rees in 1978 and Richie Burnett 13 years ago. And it comes just six years after the Manchester United fan – who lists Eric Bristow and Ryan Giggs as his sporting idols – took up the sport.

It also capped a remarkable year in which he won the Welsh Open, Welsh Classic and Canada Open, as well as being crowned both WDF Europe Cup and WDF World Cup singles champion.

That run has catapulted him to number one in the rankings and not surprisingly, the BDO are keen to keep him in their ranks.

BDO spokesman Robert Holmes said: “We are disappointed with the way that the PDC come poaching our players year in, year out. They can’t create their own and end up tapping up our players. That’s not the way a sport should be run.

“We deal with thousands of players and it’s really sickening.

“Of course, we’re delighted that Mark has decided to stay with us and I don’t think there was ever any doubt.

“Mark’s a down-to-earth guy in addition to being a top darts player. His performance at Lakeside was head and shoulders above anything we saw down at the PDC championships at Alexandra Palace.”

Webster has a busy schedule in the coming weeks as he combines his studies and the star status that comes as part of being a world champion.

He will take part in the British Open at the start of February before the 18-times capped Wales international competes in the Six Nations against England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Holland at the end of next month.

And Webster admits he has been blown away by the level of media coverage since his triumph in Surrey.

Webster added: “It’s been very strange but really good. I’ve had loads of people congratulating me and it’s been nice.

“I really enjoyed playing in the competition and the media attention since. I’ve kept all the cuttings.”