Paul Lim delivered a remarkable return performance at the 2024 WDF World Championship on a night that saw double Australian delight for Brandon Weening and Peter Machin and a comeback victory for another legend, Deta Hedman.
‘The Singapore Slinger’ made his first appearance on the Lakeside stage in more than 3 decades a memorable one, as he stunned young Dutchman Moreno Blom 2-0.
Blom won the opening leg with an 88 finish but Lim, the only man to hit a nine-darter on the Lakeside stage, immediately broke back with 76 out of his own.
70-year-old Lim then won two legs on the spin to claim the opening set 3-1, and the second following the same pattern.
A 72 finish saw Blom take the opening leg, only for Lim to ping back-to-back legs with 92 and 83 finishes before sealing victory with a 16-darter.
Lim finished with a 90.26 average and will be back tomorrow night to take on former Hong Kong teammate Kai Fan Leung.
Machin dominates Gillet to book Last 16 spot
Former World Trophy winner Peter Machin produced an impressive display in the final game of the day, dominating Mike Gillet in straight sets.
Machin raced into an early lead, producing an 11-darter and two maximums in the process of winning the first set 3-0.
Gillet, who had impressed the night before against Ky Smith, got on the board in the second set, firing in three maximums and forcing it to a last-leg decider. He was unable to convert though, with Machin finding double five to double his advantage.
The experienced Australian kept the momentum rolling in the third set, pinning tops to take it 3-1 and seal a comprehensive 3-0 victory with an 88.08 average.
‘Machie’ will return to the stage on Thursday to take on Cliff Prior.
Hedman fights back to reach quarter-finals
Three-time finalist Deta Hedman made a winning start to her 2024 WDF World Championship campaign, although she was made to work for it by Kirsty Hutchinson.
Hutchinson started the stronger, breaking the Hedman throw in the opening leg of the match before taking out 40 to win the first set 3-1.
She didn’t get another look from there though, with Hedman starting the second set with a brace of 17-darters. Those two legs were the start of a six-leg run from ‘The Caribbean Queen’, who pinned double two to seal a 2-1 victory.
Hedman will be back on stage on Friday to face New Zealand’s Nicole Regnaud in the quarter-finals.
Weening follows in his father’s footsteps
26 years on from his father’s last appearance on the Lakeside stage, Brandon Weening was a winner against Jun Matsuda.
‘The Python’ made an impressive start against the Japanese, producing finishes of 88 and 90 as he took the first set 3-1.
Matsuda battled back to level it going into the break, producing a 93 finish followed by a 14-darter to win the second by the same margin.
The third set was scrappier but again finished 3-1, this time going Weening’s way courtesy of 14-darter.
Set four went all the way, with Weening rallying from 2-1 down by pinning double four and then taking the deciding leg in 17 darts.
—–ENDS—–
Photos: Chris Sargeant/Tip Top Pics and WDF
