Gerwyn Price savours massive consolation prize after darts World Cup Final loss
The Iceman is back in the Grand Slam after he and Jonny Clayton make Final in Frankfurt
Cheered-up Gerwyn Price celebrated a major consolation prize after the heartbreak of World Cup Final defeat with Wales.
The Iceman and partner Jonny Clayton were sunk in a dramatic last-leg decider as the 2020 and 2023 winners failed to complete a famous hat-trick when losing 10-9 to Northern Ireland.
However, in beating Netherlands in the last-four to make the Final, the Cymru pair both secured spots in November's Grand Slam of Darts. That's especially sweet for Price who admitted last year it hurt him badly to miss out of the showpiece event in Wolverhampton.
Having been a three-time winner in 2018, 2019 and 2021, defeat in the qualifiers in Leicester last year saw him miss the tournament for the first time since 2015 and it stung badly.
But Price's ticket for 2025 is now already booked and he said: 'That was one of my aims this week and probably why I played so rubbish in the semi-final, knowing that it would get me in the Grand Slam. Then I relaxed a little bit in the Final, but things didn't really seem to happen. Probably due to the pressure of these [NI] boys throwing treble twenties for fun against us and we were up against it.
"We got it at 9-9. We gave ourselves a chance, but they were a little bit better than us and they deserve it.'
Price and Clayton was hugely gracious in defeat to Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney having played their part in an epic contest and simply being outdone in the thrilling shootout. Missed chances in a key 13th leg turned the tide of the Final.
The former World champ , who sat out the tournament 12 months ago, said: 'I mean, we started off really slowly and we were trying to get into the game. It was really difficult. But we got ourselves in front. I think the leg to go 8-5 up was a crucial leg for us. And then we find ourselves 8-7 behind. But testament to the Irish team, Josh was scoring unbelievable.
"We probably couldn't keep up with him. Last leg, I banged a 180, I thought: We got him back. Then he hits a 177 and I'm like: Oh, yeah, fair play. Gave him a high five. At the beginning of this tournament, I predicted Wales-Ireland final. I just predicted we would win. But fair play to them. They were fantastic.'
Clayton echoed his partner's sentiments of congratulations to the Irish and admitted he was delighted to have his old sidekick back in harness. He said: 'Fair to Josh and Daryl. That last leg, oh my God, didn't they get off the blocks. We got it back to 9-9 and tried our best. Gezzy carried me, to be fair. I struggled starting off.
"We gave it all. We get on great. It's nice to see him back in Germany! To be fair, he's just classy. I'm a proud man to be a captain here and to have a team-mate like this, oh, my God, awesome.'
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