Kenya’s David Munyua has written history at the World Darts Championship after producing a dramatic first-round victory on the Alexandra Palace stage.
The unseeded Kenyan pulled off a stunning comeback on Thursday, rallying from two sets down to beat 18th seed Mike De Decker 3–2 in a pulsating contest.
The win marked the first time a Kenyan has ever claimed a match victory at the prestigious tournament.
Munyua’s route to success was anything but straightforward. He battled through two costly miscounts and even an unusual interruption when a wasp landed on his face mid-match.
The Professional Darts Corporation later confirmed that Munyua calmly dealt with the insect, placed it in his pocket and went on to complete his memorable performance.
Adding to the remarkable nature of the win, Munyua competed with a set of inexpensive darts borrowed from fellow player Cam Crabtree, who had been knocked out in his own first-round tie. Crabtree later shared his disbelief at the outcome on social media.
By reaching the second round, Munyua has secured at least £25,000 in prize money.
The Kenyan, who only took up darts three years ago, survived match darts from De Decker and was at one stage six darts into a perfect nine-dart leg.
He will next face either Kevin Doets or Matthew Dennant, with a potential third-round showdown against former World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall looming should his fairytale run continue.
