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The old and new darts world champion Peter Wright: "We had to give him confidence."
Photo: ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP
Why are two amateur players throwing arrows on a large stage in front of thousands of spectators?
This question could have arisen who happened to come across the broadcast from Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally) in London a few minutes after the start of the final of the Darts World Cup 2022.
Because both Peter Wright and Michael Smith missed various darts on the outer double rings in the second leg of the game, which you have to hit to end a round.
The 28th arrow from England's Smith landed in double 1 and ended the leg - it was the worst of the entire World Cup.
As a result, the final got better - much better.
In the end, the Scot Wright prevailed 7: 5 and became world champion of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) for the second time after 2020.
Wright joined an elite circle: only five players before him managed to win the World Cup more than once.
500,000 British pounds of prize money and the Sid Waddell Trophy were rewarded.
In the winner interview on stage, Wright looked almost as if he wanted to apologize for having won.
Wright said he "played so badly" that his opponent let him into the game.
Just moments after the triumph, »Snakebite« - as his stage name was - became Peter again, a rather shy contemporary who comes from a poor background and had to create a dazzling stage character in order to be able to confidently compete against the greats of the sport.
Targets on trees
Wright got his first arrows on his 13th birthday.
Since his single mother couldn't afford a board, he initially painted targets on trees.
Less than four years later, Wright was one of the best players in London but didn't dare to try it as a professional.
After a first round at the World Cup of the British Darts Organization (BDO) in 1995, Wright only played on a regional level for years, earning his money with odd jobs.
It was only his wife Joanne who encouraged him in 2007 to give it a serious try as a professional.
The two were watching a darts tournament on television - and when Wright told Joanne that he had already beaten most of the players on the screen, she pushed him to make his dream come true.
"He never had someone to support him," Joanne Wright told the Telegraph in 2017.
“Everyone told him he'd never make it.
He was just too shy.
We had to give him confidence. "
Joanne is a hairdresser and gave Peter colored hair and the Mohawk cut.
Then there were the extravagant shirts and pants.
The snake painted on the left side of the head completed the outfit.
Before darts tournaments, the shy and self-doubting Peter became the extroverted entertainer - »Snakebite« was created.
First world title in 2020
Wright had his big breakthrough at the 2014 World Cup, when he played his way to the finals.
It was supposed to be his last season, because at the end of each year there was a minus.
At the World Cup, however, he surprisingly made his way to the final, receiving £ 100,000 in prize money.
That was the turning point.
In the years that followed, Wright continued to improve, even if he mostly lost the finals at the major tournaments.
That changed at the 2020 World Cup when, after nine defeats in the finals in a row against long-time tour dominator Michael van Gerwen, he beat him in the final of the World Cup, of all places.
Over the past two seasons, Wright has confirmed his status as one of the best players in the world.
In 2021 "Snakebite" won more tournaments than any other player on the professional tour.
In addition, there is the second world title - with an announcement.
Last July, Wright predicted he would win the World Matchplay and the World Cup this season.
He kept his word because he was showing world class just as he was about to lose.
After a nervous start with weaknesses on Smith's double fields, Wright, who once again changed his darts several times within a game, was 4: 5 in sets and 0: 2 in legs after a 2-0 set lead.
Smith, who lost all five of his previous major finals, was still missing a leg to make it 6: 4 in the sets.
And then Peter Wright played what was possibly the best ten minutes ever shown in a World Cup final.
Eight legs in a row went to the 2020 world champion, who didn't even need 15 arrows to go from 501 to zero points.
Smith was close to the world title, but in the end no chance.
The "Bully Boy" couldn't be comforted by the fact that he broke two records in the final.
As the first player ever at a World Cup, the 31-year-old scored the highest possible score of 180 in seven consecutive legs. And with a total of 83 maximums in the entire tournament, he broke the previous record of 71 set by Gary Anderson.
While Wright gave the winner's interview, Smith wept bitter tears on stage.
At the press conference Wright formulated his goal: five world titles.
Even if the times are over when individual players like Phil Taylor and then Michael van Gerwen could dominate the tour for years: After the performance on January 3, 2022, he can be trusted.
