There is a saying in Michael Smith’s home town that you should never write off a Saint, owing largely to the success of his beloved St Helens rugby league club. They are one of the sport’s most successful sides but the town has a new hero to celebrate after Smith’s success in the PDC World Darts Championship on Tuesday evening.
Smith’s triumph over Michael van Gerwen has countered those who had written him off. As recently as two months ago, the 32-year-old was seen as darts’ chief bridesmaid, having lost eight major finals in a row. But his victory in November’s Grand Slam of Darts shook not just a monkey off his back but, as the three-time world champion John Part pointed out, the gorilla that had hung over his career for so long.
Smith now has his second major, one he felt it was his destiny to win since he took up darts as a boy. He and Van Gerwen had been tipped for greatness since they emerged on the youth tour nearly 15 years ago, but while Van Gerwen hoovered up major titles, Smith seemed incapable of winning one. That has changed and the new world No 1’s story of never giving up will serve as an inspiration to many.
“You have to keep going,” he said. “You have to keep persisting with it, the amount of heartache you might get. I lost eight in a row and then I have won my ninth and 10th. I’ve worked all my career for this.”
The newest king of the oche now also has the opportunity to spearhead a new era. Sitting top of the world rankings and a world champion at the age of 32 offers the opportunity for a long period of dominance, though Smith has competition from more young players than ever before.
His rivalry with the 33-year-old Van Gerwen – they have already competed in two world finals – could be the new Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld or Van Gerwen v Adrian Lewis rivalry the sport has craved for some time. But you only have to look at some of 2022’s other big winners to realise that this sport, once viewed as an old man’s game, is now anything but. The 33-year-old Ross Smith won the European Championship; the 32-year-old Danny Noppert won the UK Open last year; Joe Cullen triumphed in the Masters at the same age. In any other sport, they are veterans, but not in darts.
Just three of the world’s top 16 – Peter Wright, Jonny Clayton and José De Sousa – are over the age of 40. Then there is talent such as Josh Rock, the 21-year-old who made the last 16 on his World Championship debut, in his first year as a professional. The world No 5, Luke Humphries, is 27. Callan Rydz made the quarter-finals last year at the age of 23, while the 20-year-olds Keane Barry and Lewy Williams are capable of bright futures.
All these players, Smith included, could be doing this for another 15 years. We are not approaching the end of a golden age of darts: we are entering the start of one.
The old guard, including Wright – the world No 2 – are contenders, but with others sliding down the rankings, Smith’s victory was symbolic. All those players may view themselves as the next man to challenge Smith, but this is his time. St Helens often make it their business to win when nobody expects them to: how fitting that he has followed that path.
What next? With so much competition, it’s difficult to predict. His main rival in Van Gerwen will be smarting from Tuesday’s defeat and he leads a long line of players ready to take a shot at Smith when the 2023 season begins at the Bahrain Darts Masters next Thursday. But he has been through so much already, you suspect he will have the wherewithal to deal with what comes his way.
It has been years in the making, but Smith always promised he would fulfil his destiny and become world champion. The darting world suddenly feels limitless for him.
