Beau nearly quit arrows

BEAU GREAVES heads to the Ally Pally as the new sensation of darts - yet she almost quit eight months ago.

The Doncaster star is ready to make history as the youngest woman to compete in the 30-year history of the PDC World Darts Championship.

Greaves, 18, faces Irishman William O’Connor in a blockbuster first round clash in London. 

She won 52 successive games in the PDC Women's Series and won the World Masters at the weekend. 

Yet two weeks before Easter this year she considered giving up as she struggled with ‘dartitis’.

Greaves said: “The WDF Worlds at Lakeside were meant to be in January this year but were then moved to April.

“I had stopped playing for a month before then. I was struggling quite badly.

“Before I even walked over to a dartboard, I didn't want to be there. I was dreading it when I got up there. It was weird.

“I had set myself up to fail before I had given myself a chance.

“The WDF Tour said to me: ‘Beau, are you playing or not?’ I replied: ‘I'm not doing it. I just can't let go of the darts.’

“A week beforehand I had to tell him if I was going to do it or not.

“I said to my sister Bobbi, I'll give it a go.

“I started to practise a lot with one of my friends online and I got into a rhythm of letting them go first time. No hesitation. Just peppering the board.

“I had convinced myself I had a massive problem.

“I have that confidence back now. When I go to Ally Pally, I will have a smile on my face.”

Words: Phil Lanning.

Images: Taylor Lanning/PDC.