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The Star
29-04-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Stars of South-East Asia and region to converge at the Selangor darts championships as association celebrates 15th anniversary
PETALING JAYA: Get set for real top darting action as all the best South-East Asian darters have confirmed participation for the Selangor Open Darts Championships 2025, a World Darts Federation (WDF) ranked tournament. The much-anticipated event which is expected to feature all the top darters from South-East Asia will be held at Ballroom L2, Quayside Mall at Twentyfive 7 from May 9-11. This year's tournament has also been boosted after the organisers of the tournament announced that it will also feature RM30,500 in prize money. Besides the best bulls-eye specialists from Malaysia, top darters from Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Thailand and Japan ill also be vying for the top honours in the tournament. "This is indeed a special one for us. We will celebrate our (association's) 15th anniversary in a big way. This tournament will feature some of the very best stars from the South-East Asia region," said Selangor Darts Association president C. Pathmanathan. "This year will also a record prize money on offer for the darters. We aim to make this tournament a top competition in the region in the future. "I also like take this opportunity to say thanks to Quayside Mall for being the venue sponsors, they have been very supportive to us from the start. I also like to thank all the other sponsors involved in this tournament." Some of the world's best darters have already confirmed their participation for this year's tournament which comes under the WDF bronze category and the competition for top prizes is expected to be red-hot. The star of the show will definitely be Japan superstar darter Mayumi Ouchi, who is currently the No.1 ranked player in the WDF Asia Women's list. She was also part of the incredible Japan team that won last year's WDF Asia Pacific Cup title. Mayumi, however, is expected to face a stiff challenge from her teammate, Yukie Sakaguchi, who was also part of team Japan, who won the Asia Pacific title. But what makes her a formidable opponent is that she was also the gold medal singles category winner at the Asia Pacific tournament. Another conformation for the tournament is Mayu Shimuzu, who is currently ranked No.14 in the WDF Asia women's singles ranking list. Japan will also be represented by the brother-sister combination of Yuta Hanashi and Momoka Hanashi for the tournament, both who are touted as future stars of the sport. Another Japanese star on stage for the meet is Ryusei Azemoto -- the Japanese professional soft-tip and steel-tip darts player also represented his country at the 2024 PDC World Cup of Darts. Philippines will have Janice Penero Hinojales leading the way. She is the top ranked Philippines women player and also the reigning Cosmo Malaysia Open 2024 Women Singles category champion. Malaysia's challenge will be led by Maisuriyati Md Zain, who is currently ranked No.7 in the Asia Women singles list. She had recently won the 2024 Kuching City Open singles title and is definitely primed up to give the top Japanese darters a run for their money. Malaysia's charge will also joined by the duo of Zarina Khan and Nur Sazleena Muliyono. Both the local darters are currently ranked joined 11th in the WDF Asia Women's singles category list. Nur Sazleena is also the top ranked Malaysia women player and Cosmo Malaysia Open 2024 Women Singles' finalist. The men's section is also expected to see heated battles for top honours in both the singles and team events. Among the top stars for the tournament are Malaysians Faizal Mohamad (ranked No.7 in the WDF Asia Men singles category), Mohd Nasir Jantan (won two titles at the PDC Asian Tour Title in 2023 / Malaysian doubles pair at the 2024 PDC World Cup in Germany) and Zulrizan Azdan (the 2019 WDF Men Singles COSMO Malaysia Open champion). For the record, the Selangor Open is the first WDF ranked event in Malaysia in 2025 which will be followed by Cosmo Malaysia Open 2025 (WDF silver ranked category) on 22-24th August. Countries confirmed participation besides Malaysia are from Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Japan. Darters from other South-East Asian nations and other Asian countries are also expected to confirm their participation by end of the month. The organisers said they are expecting around 60 entries for the Team Open (240 players) and 32 for the women's section. In total more around 350 darters are expected to take part in this year's tournament. Entries will be closed on May 1. The price of entry for the tournament ifor the men's section is RM600 (TEAM OF FOUR PLAYERS, eligible to play Team Open, 2 Doubles pair ∧ 4 Singles entry). As for the women's section the entry is RM 350 (PAIR Women and eligible to play Women Doubles & 2 WDF Singles competitions). For more event details: WhatsAPP 012-3132663 -- (Secretary SEDA) or for Sponsorship details: WhatsAPP 012-3431010 -- C. Pathmanathan (Presiden - SEDA)
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Burnley Darts prodigy beats Luke Littler's record
A budding 14-year-old darts player has been tipped for the top after beating World Champion Luke Littler's record by becoming the youngest ever winner of a World Darts Federation (WDF) event. Kaya Baysal, from Burnley, who has been playing for seriously for less than 18 months, lifted the 2025 Budapest Classic Men's at the WDF said he was 13 days younger than Littler was when he secured the 2021 Irish Open win. Kaya's coach and manager Keith Brunt said there was nothing stopping him from following in the footsteps of Littler, who became the youngest World Darts Champion in January at the age of 18. "He has a lot of work to do but who knows," said Mr beat the reigning Budapest Classic champion, 27-year-old Belgian Sybren Gijbels, 5-2 in the final, after overcoming former professional tour player Krzysztof Kciuk 4-1 in the also won two youth titles in Budapest - the Youth Open and the Youth Masters - and got to the semi-finals in the pairs event with his friend and fellow Blackburn Darts Academy player Joseph Westby, 15. The teenager, whose favourite player is Joe Cullen, has played down making history and his haul of trophies, and said he was back on the practice board. Kaya said: "It was a great experience. I played some good darts against some good players."But the Burnley FC fan added: "I've lots more hard work to do."The WDF secretary-general Nick Rolls said everyone was "blown away" by Kaya's performance in Hungary."He's making rapid progress and his performances in Budapest proved that if you're good enough, you're old enough."He added: "Two of our previous youngest-ever winners were Michael van Gerwen and Luke Littler, so Kaya is in excellent company."The youngster is sponsored by Target Darts, which backs some of the world's top players, including Brunt, 41, who set up the academy in 2017 and manages 14 players, said he believed this was the first of many big titles for Kaya."He's calm and never fazed by who he is playing, has got his head screwed on, and has very supportive parents." His parents Engin and Samantha Baysal said they were "so proud" of him."He's very chilled about it, and he's just keen to push on," said Mrs Baysal, adding it was Kaya's uncle who got him into darts. She said his walk-on song is a song - Foo Fighters Times Like These - was very special to him as it was his late uncle's favourite song, and a Turf Moor favourite. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
