An 11-year-old darts player from Donegal has made history by qualifying for the Worthington’s Champion of Champions finals in Wales later this month.
Alex Hughes, a pupil at Frosses National School, won a qualifying event on Friday night at Kirk’s Bar in Clady.
Over 40 registered players, including players from the PDC Development Tour, took part, but rising star Hughes made light of them all, just four days after celebrating his 11th birthday.
It was his first time competing in a full men’s tournament.
Competing in the Donegal darts circuit since he was just nine, Alex used to carry a small stool in a rucksack to enable him to collect his darts from the board.
“When he started off he couldn’t reach the darts at the top of the board, but he’s grown a good bit in the last two years,” dad Peter said.
A place in the finals night at St David’s Hall in Cardiff on August 26 when 246 champions will play off to become the Red Dragon Champion of Champions was up for grabs on Friday when wins over Davy Donnelly and Mickey Doyle shot him into a semi-final meeting with John Porter.
After Porter missed double eight to win it, Hughes landed a superb attempt at a 130 checkout.
In the final, ‘The Hunter’ hit a 180 and wired double 20 and the bullseye for 130 and 160 checkouts as he defeated Alan Byrne.
Alex Hughes with Andy Fordham, the former BDO World champion
“This is my first ever full men’s event win and I cannot believe how happy I am,” the Inver schoolboy said.
“I’ve practiced every day for the last two years so to play in full men’s events like the Champion of Champions is a dream come true”.
The tournament has a prize pot of £20,000.
Simon Hall Head of Marketing for Red Dragon Darts said “Words failed me when I saw on Twitter that Alex had qualified for the finals as an 11 year old darts player, and I am still a bit shocked now”.
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