The first ever World Darts Trophy Final. The apotheosis of a full week darts. Started with 40 players, 100's of staff and organising people TV-crew, Bar and Restaurant staff, Stewards and Security etc, etc.

During the week almost 15,000 spectators who saw 38 matches with until the final 211 x 180's and a maximum outshot by Tony O'Shea.

Before the final started all 40 players come on stage and were jubilant by the 2800 spectators. Major of the City Utrecht Mrs. Annie Brouwer expressed her gratitude towards all people involved in organising the event, the viewers in the venue and at home before their TV-sets. Gary van Rheenen (member of a well known Dutch Singing Group) was given the opportunity to say his poem he made to ask attention for a welfare foundation "Sporters for Sporters". This
organisation takes care of children with muscular diseases who try to do sports. All material they need is supplied by the organisation.

Among the spectators was a disabled person who came in his motorised wheelchair all the way from Eindhoven. A distance of about 60 miles which took him 6 hour to reach the venue! He told the organisation he had had an invitation from a certain person that no one knew. The organisation felt so sorry for him, they let him in.

All players were cheered and that showed that charity is appreciated in the Netherlands too.

The match:
Started at primetime Dutch TV. The players entered the arena as usual across the gantry. O'Shea wearing an Orange Euro 2000 scarf to show his appreciation for the minibus drivers who took the players and VIP's from the Hotel and the playing-venue. David as usual in his bordeaux-red shirt.

O'Shea had won the toss but started slowly. The first set went against the darts to David. He showed he was determined to show the World that his Embassy title from January was not a one-day action.

At a 1-0 lead, David missed 5 darts at the double to double his lead and O'Shea took his first leg in the match. The averages were far below 30 and the match was not real an exiting one. David broke his opponent again in the fourth leg by finishing 121 in 12 darts to lead 2-0 in sets.

O'Shea made a very promising start in the third set. In 12 darts with a 121 finish he took the first leg. The averages had gone up and the public thought the match was on fire. David leveled the set and in the next he was on a double after 9 darts. He needed all 3 darts in the next oche approach to break O'Shea. His own leg looked like a formality. A 3-0 lead was the result.

Two 180's from David in the next set and that one went also 3-1 to David. The public now feared a whitewash in sets. There was only one set to play before the interval and O'Shea had to do something. Barneveld, who had lost the semi-final to O'Shea, looked in the pressroom and saw everything happening with disbelief. He wondered why he always had an opponent who throws that well against him and then the next match not that good. The same thing happened to him at this years Embassy.

The fifth set was the first set to go all the way until the deciding fifth leg. With only one treble 20 from O'Shea, David again punched O'Shea and hit a 126 finish and takes the set to go into the interval with a 5-0 lead. When people asked O'Shea whatever he wanted he asked for a hammer or shotgun. He was so ashamed of himself.

The public knew that it was only a question of if O'Shea would manage to get a set and if he does, how many.

David had the throw after the break. He took a 1-0 and 2-1 lead. Only one leg away from victory. That victory was his after a marvelous 120 check-out in the fourth leg of the sixth set.

David was crowned as the first ever World Darts Trophy winner. A cheque of 45.000 Euro was his. He and Mieke the Boer will go into the history books as Leighton Reese and Trina Gulliver went into the history books as the first ever winners of the Embassy.

It's That Flag Again!!

All formalities were done and at the banquet afterwards many words of appreciation and thanks were given to the organisation and everyone had taken part in it.

Mieke "Bambi" the Boer kept it short. The spontaneous 22-year woman from Amsterdam felt short in words, but managed to thank sponsors and everyone involved.

Mieke De Boer (Neth) With the Women's

World Darts Trophy

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