World Championship debutant “Big Willie” was drawn against former World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks in what was to become one of the greatest first-round matches the Alexandra Palace crowd had ever seen.
As they entered the famous old building which stands high above the London skyline, with views of the iconic Olympic, Emirates, and Tottenham Hotspur stadiums below, few fans could imagine the sporting drama that was about to unfold before them, equal to any of the magical moments witnessed in those theatres of dreams.
Having been whitewashed in the first set Borland hit back to level. The two players went toe to toe throwing darts that belied their age, experience when at two sets all and two games all we entered a sudden death leg.
By now, expecting an explosion of emotion from whoever wins I have left the photographers platform, and taken a position sitting on top of the “walk on steps” at the front of the stage in line with the “Oche” as Referee Kirk Bevans sings out ‘180’ as Willie takes out a maximum on his first visit, then, such is the speed of the match, quickly follows up with a 177. The noise is deafening as the crowd will the young Scot on….
With my camera pointing through the bars of the safety rail, Borland, seemingly oblivious to the ensuing pandemonium all around and without hesitation, throws treble 20, treble 20, double 12! The decibels reach a new level as it seems the roof is about to come off as the dart flies into the thin red bed.
My intuition to move position pays off as Willie runs and leaps across the stage towards me, mouth wide open and eyes popping, as he makes history becoming the first debutant and first player ever to hit a 9 darter to win a televised match at the World Championships leaving his opponent Bradley looking on in stunned amazement.
It’s a moment that he,I, those in attendance, and those watching on TV here and around the world, will never forget.
—–ENDS——-
The Images That Captured Modern Darts:
Lawrence Lustig is a former official photographer to the PDC, For this image he used a Canon mirrorless R6 camera, a 70-200mm zoom lens at 70mm at a speed of 640th of a second at F3.5 at 2500 iso
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