It’s the most wonderful time of the year if you happen to be a darts fan with the World Darts Championships taking place at the Alexandra Palace in London.
With the beer flowing and arrows flying, there’s little more a darting diehard could want – expect for a nine-dart leg that is and they were nearly given a Christmas miracle by 63-year-old Paul Lim last night.
Lim memorably achieved the feat in 1990, becoming the first man to every do it in either version of darts’ world championships – winning himself £52,000 in the process. That record stood all the way until 2009, when Raymond van Barneveld finally matched it in the PDC against Jelle Klaasen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2w-tbUBgN4
Arrow your way to Darts bets at PaddyPower.comHaving already shocked Mark Webster in the opening round, Lim rolled back the years again against the third seed, Gary Anderson last night. Trailing by a set and a couple of legs, Lim went off with a 177, followed by a 180 to give him a second shot at immortally 27 years after the first.
After hitting two treble 20’s it looked for all the world that Lim would give us another special moment of sporting perfection, but unfortunately for him and the crowd in attendance his attempt at double 12 fell just short.
SO CLOSE: Here is how close Paul Lim came to one of the most magical moments in World Championship history, 28 years after a history making nine-darter he falls one short #LoveTheDarts ????????❌ pic.twitter.com/B7VZnQ1OXA
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) December 22, 2017
Anderson would go on to win the game four sets to one, but there’s little doubt who the talk of Ally Pally was after the match last night.
SO CLOSE TO PERFECTION | Paul Lim talks through what would have been a moment in darting history….#WHdarts #LoveTheDarts pic.twitter.com/4Ikgh2O9PL
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2017
Oh, what a darting delight that would have been!
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