Tony David
Encyclopedia
Tony David is a darts
player and is the only Australian player to have been a senior singles world champion. David won the 2002 Embassy World Championship
. He plays under the nickname The Deadly Boomerang.
team for the first time.
He made his first trip to the Lakeside Country Club
in 2001 to play in the Embassy World Championship, losing to Andy Fordham
0-3 in the first round.
The following year, in 2002, he qualified for his second attempt at the World Championship. Despite being a 66/1 outsider before the tournament began, he went all the way to the final, beating Ritchie Davies
, Marko Pusa
, Bob Taylor
before winning a tight semi-final against Martin Adams
5-4. He was the slight favourite for the title going into the final due to his results, and went on to beat Mervyn King 6-4 in the final. He became the first Australian player to win a World Professional Darts Championship.
Later in 2002, he won the World Darts Trophy
in the Netherlands, one of the British Darts Organisation
's other Grand Slam titles. He also reached the semi-finals of the WDT in 2003 and 2004 losing both times to Raymond van Barneveld
.
The defence of his world title in 2003 started creditably, but ended with a heavy loss 0-5 at the quarter-final stages to Davies. After that defeat, David has failed to win another match at the Lakeside event. He went out in the first round in 2004 to Darryl Fitton
and in 2005 to Tony Eccles
. He failed to qualify for the 2006 or 2007 events. He returned to Lakeside in 2008 but lost in the first round to Gary Robson.
, which requires regular medication. On top of this, his throwing action is slightly limited by the condition, as he cannot bring his arm back as far as most players due to the blood circulation.
On 21 February 2009, David was rushed to hospital to undergo an emergency liver transplant. However, the transplant was a successful one and David is progressing well.
Whilst an 'emergency' generally relates to unforeseen circumstances, David was on the Liver Transplant Waiting List due to complications from Hepatitis C and B which he contracted many years ago in the 80s (as many haemophiliacs did prior to better blood screening practices in Australia), and was fortunate to have a matching donor liver become available - requiring his attendance at hospital ASAP as is required for such a procedure.
On 7 December, David was rushed into hospital for an operation on his spleen. The operation was deemed to be a success. David's close friend Allan Summers said on Bdoforums.co.uk that he is "improving day by day from his latest operation, however, it would be some time before he would be allowed back home to continue his ongoing treatment".
.
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
player and is the only Australian player to have been a senior singles world champion. David won the 2002 Embassy World Championship
2002 BDO World Darts Championship
The 2002 Embassy World Professional Darts Championship was held from 5-13 January 2002 at the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey. This was the milestone 25th year of the BDO World Championship....
. He plays under the nickname The Deadly Boomerang.
Career
David started playing darts at the age of 25 and progressed into the Queensland State team in 1995. Four years later, he made the Australian WDF World CupWDF World Cup darts
The WDF World Cup is a darts tournament held biennially since 1977. The tournament consists of a team championship, a pairs championship and a singles championship. All events have a men's competition, a women's competition and a youth competition . The next World Cup will be held in 2013, in St...
team for the first time.
He made his first trip to the Lakeside Country Club
Lakeside Leisure Complex
The Lakeside Leisure Complex is a hotel, entertainment and leisure complex in Frimley Green near Camberley in Surrey. It is most famous as being the venue of the BDO World Darts Championship.-History:...
in 2001 to play in the Embassy World Championship, losing to Andy Fordham
Andy Fordham
Andy "The Viking" Fordham is an English darts player. He won the 2004 BDO World Darts Championship, beating Mervyn King in the final...
0-3 in the first round.
The following year, in 2002, he qualified for his second attempt at the World Championship. Despite being a 66/1 outsider before the tournament began, he went all the way to the final, beating Ritchie Davies
Ritchie Davies
Ritchie Davies is a Welsh former professional darts player from Aberdare. Davies is most well known for his run at the 2003 BDO World Darts Championship, where he reached the final.-Darts career:...
, Marko Pusa
Marko Pusa
Marko Pusa is a Finnish darts player.Pusa made his televised debut at the 1999 Winmau World Masters, reaching the semi-finals with wins over Andy Gudgeon, former World Champion Steve Beaton and Andy Jenkins before losing to Wayne Jones. In 2000, Pusa reached the final of the Finnish Open, losing...
, Bob Taylor
Bob Taylor (darts player)
Bob Taylor is a Scottish darts player who played in the British Darts Organisation.Taylor made eleven appearances in the BDO World Darts Championship, losing in the first round in seven of his first eight showings with his one win coming in 1994 against American Tony Payne before losing in the...
before winning a tight semi-final against Martin Adams
Martin Adams
Martin Adams is an English international darts player. Nicknamed Wolfie or Mr BDO, he is BDO world ranked number one, three-time and reigning BDO World Champion and three-time World Masters champion...
5-4. He was the slight favourite for the title going into the final due to his results, and went on to beat Mervyn King 6-4 in the final. He became the first Australian player to win a World Professional Darts Championship.
Later in 2002, he won the World Darts Trophy
World Darts Trophy
The World Darts Trophy was a darts tournament held each September at De Vechtsebanen in Utrecht, Netherlands between 2002 and 2007. The tournament has a playing format comparable with the two World Championships, the BDO World Darts Championship and the PDC World Darts Championship...
in the Netherlands, one of the British Darts Organisation
British Darts Organisation
The British Darts Organisation, or the BDO for short, is a darts organisation founded on 7 January 1973 by Olly Croft, OBE. The BDO is a founder member of the World Darts Federation which was formed in 1976....
's other Grand Slam titles. He also reached the semi-finals of the WDT in 2003 and 2004 losing both times to Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...
.
The defence of his world title in 2003 started creditably, but ended with a heavy loss 0-5 at the quarter-final stages to Davies. After that defeat, David has failed to win another match at the Lakeside event. He went out in the first round in 2004 to Darryl Fitton
Darryl Fitton
Darryl Fitton is an English professional darts player currently playing in BDO events. He is nicknamed The Dazzler and comes to the stage dancing to the Madness song "One Step Beyond" wearing sunglasses. It is one of the most popular walk-ons with the audience...
and in 2005 to Tony Eccles
Tony Eccles
Tony Eccles is a Winmau sponsored darts player currently residing in Hartlepool. He uses the nickname The Viper.-BDO career:...
. He failed to qualify for the 2006 or 2007 events. He returned to Lakeside in 2008 but lost in the first round to Gary Robson.
Health problems
David has haemophiliaHaemophilia
Haemophilia is a group of hereditary genetic disorders that impair the body's ability to control blood clotting or coagulation, which is used to stop bleeding when a blood vessel is broken. Haemophilia A is the most common form of the disorder, present in about 1 in 5,000–10,000 male births...
, which requires regular medication. On top of this, his throwing action is slightly limited by the condition, as he cannot bring his arm back as far as most players due to the blood circulation.
On 21 February 2009, David was rushed to hospital to undergo an emergency liver transplant. However, the transplant was a successful one and David is progressing well.
Whilst an 'emergency' generally relates to unforeseen circumstances, David was on the Liver Transplant Waiting List due to complications from Hepatitis C and B which he contracted many years ago in the 80s (as many haemophiliacs did prior to better blood screening practices in Australia), and was fortunate to have a matching donor liver become available - requiring his attendance at hospital ASAP as is required for such a procedure.
On 7 December, David was rushed into hospital for an operation on his spleen. The operation was deemed to be a success. David's close friend Allan Summers said on Bdoforums.co.uk that he is "improving day by day from his latest operation, however, it would be some time before he would be allowed back home to continue his ongoing treatment".
Personal life
David married his long-time partner, Natalie Carter, on 20 November 2010 in Perth, Western AustraliaPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
BDO World Championship results
- 2001: 1st round (lost to Andy FordhamAndy FordhamAndy "The Viking" Fordham is an English darts player. He won the 2004 BDO World Darts Championship, beating Mervyn King in the final...
0-3) - 2002: Won (beat Mervyn King 6-4)
- 2003: Quarter-final (lost to Ritchie DaviesRitchie DaviesRitchie Davies is a Welsh former professional darts player from Aberdare. Davies is most well known for his run at the 2003 BDO World Darts Championship, where he reached the final.-Darts career:...
0-5) - 2004: 1st round (lost to Darryl FittonDarryl FittonDarryl Fitton is an English professional darts player currently playing in BDO events. He is nicknamed The Dazzler and comes to the stage dancing to the Madness song "One Step Beyond" wearing sunglasses. It is one of the most popular walk-ons with the audience...
2-3) - 2005: 1st round (lost to Tony EcclesTony EcclesTony Eccles is a Winmau sponsored darts player currently residing in Hartlepool. He uses the nickname The Viper.-BDO career:...
2-3) - 2008: 1st round (lost to Gary Robson 1-3)