On Sunday night young Dutch sensation Jella Klaasen won the world darts championship at the Lakeside club, Frimley Green. I don’t play darts but I love to watch it, mainly for the atmosphere and the fact they can hit such small targets.
Whilst watching darts it reminded me of American wrestling, darts players and wrestlers have musical neon lit entrances to adoring fans, both are generally large males and both sports involve skill – the difference being darts is real and wrestling is pantomime.
Jelle Klaasen is only 21 and it was the 21st world final he played in, the match against fellow Dutchman Ray Van Barneveld was riveting stuff, a real nail biter, Klaasen was ranked a 100-1 outsider at the start of the tournament yet fought his way to the final to be watched by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands on tv and members of the Dutch parliament who were at the lakeside in person.
Whilst watching darts it reminded me of American wrestling, darts players and wrestlers have musical neon lit entrances to adoring fans, both are generally large males and both sports involve skill – the difference being darts is real and wrestling is pantomime.
Jelle Klaasen is only 21 and it was the 21st world final he played in, the match against fellow Dutchman Ray Van Barneveld was riveting stuff, a real nail biter, Klaasen was ranked a 100-1 outsider at the start of the tournament yet fought his way to the final to be watched by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands on tv and members of the Dutch parliament who were at the lakeside in person.
1 comment:
Watched this too as my dad has always played darts and we grew up with it. Klaasen won't have known what hit him when he returned to Holland.
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