When we talk about sports, we immediately think of strenuous activities that require a certain level of physical fitness to be able to participate in effectively. We imagine elite athletes pushing themselves to the limit in amazing feats of human performance. And we assume there may be a large amount of sweat and pain involved. But there are some sports that do not quite fill this basic criterion. One prime example is darts. So, is darts a sport or not? Let’s look at the evidence.
Look on any bookmaker’s website and you’ll see darts listed in the sport category. And you’ll see darts odds available for all the latest events including the men’s Premier League for which Michael van Gerwen is currently the 9/4 favourite. England’s Phil Taylor won 16 World Championships and is widely regarded as one of the country’s greatest sportsmen of the last few decades. So, the ability to wager on darts and the status of Taylor as one of the sporting greats means that darts must be a sport, right?
Well, not everyone agrees. Thanks to its origins as a traditional socialising game in the UK, many people see darts as an activity parading as a sport. It is true darts has its roots in the social clubs of working-class Britain. But the top players you’ll see in the latest darts tips from Betfair including 2023 World Championship favourites Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price, train extremely hard to reach the top level.
For many, that includes keeping in shape both physically and mentally. Competing on a professional tour requires a high level of endurance, a huge amount of concentration, and precise hand-eye coordination. This cannot be achieved without serious application.
The physical intensity may not be as high as in other sports, but this allows players of all ages to compete. Some do not reach their peak in their 40s and 50, while others, such as women’s WDF world champion, Beau Greaves, hit the top while still in their teens.
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To remain at the top for years on end requires the kind of commitment and dedication that has much in common with other sports. The practice regimes have also been likened to that of top musicians, who achieve perfection through hours and hours of repetition.
Being fit doesn’t have to mean you have an incredible physique. It simply means that you are capable. And the fittest athletes are the most capable at their chosen sport. People of different shapes and sizes are more suited to different sports accordingly. Dart players need to be still, balanced, focused, and accurate and their training is geared to this. They do not need to have the leanness of Usain Bolt or the muscles of Cristiano Ronaldo, so why waste time developing a type of fitness that is not suited to their sport?
Anyone can pick up a set of darts. And anyone can enjoy a game without the need for preparation or training. But to perform at the level now seen in the professional televised events takes the kind of dedication and training that means it fully deserves its sporting status.
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