| Barrie Bates
Barrie Bates is proudly flying the flag for Wales!
He is top Welshman in the PDC and has been a fixture in the
world's top 16 for the last two years.
Now, it's time for the likeable Bates to put his injury
woes behind him and build on the solid foundations he has
put down in his chosen sport.
The first target for the 2006 UK Open runner-up is to keep
his spot in the top 16, which under new PDC qualification
guidelines, will clinch automatic places at the World Matchplay,
World Grand Prix and Grand Slam of Darts
Next aim for Bates is to make it into the top 10 and then
win a 'Major'
He has already achieved a lot in a short time... Bates
didn't actually start playing darts until he was 27!
He knows 2008 is a big year, because after breaking a bone
in his foot, it was a major struggle for him to keep track
in 2007. The injury forced him to miss several tournaments.
"I first felt that things weren't right at Las
Vegas in 2007. The pain got worse and after several trips
to the specialist, a scan finally revealed I had broken my
foot again. It was an old football injury," he explained.
"I have had fluid drained from the foot and although
I am still limping, things are slowly getting back to normal
but it affected my darts because all the time I was putting
weight on the foot at the oche, it was making it worse."
A little run to the 3rd Round of the World Championship (where
he lost to Kirk Shepherd) will have done a lot to restore
confidence, after the disappointments of the year.
He has built up a great reputation - won Pro Tour Events
and has picked up the prestigious Floor Player of the Year
award for his efforts during 2006, when he made his mark -
winning the John Smiths Singles, The Le Skratch event in Montreal
and the big Players Championship event in Holland, when he
beat Phil Taylor in the final.
But his run to the final of the UK Open in Bolton brought
him firmly into the limelight and that is where he has stayed.
Bates beat Wayne Atwood, Wayne Jones, Roland Scholten, Alex
Roy and Alan Tabern on his way to the final, where he eventually
lost to Raymond Van Barneveld.
"To be involved with a company like Unicorn is amazing
for me, because I had never been backed by a global sponsor
before," he said. "Now it is up to me to bring
home some titles."
Most of the big darts stars of today catch the bug early
- but not in the case of Barrie Bates. He started throwing
tungsten at the grand old age of 27!
He explained: "I was quite a good footballer in those
days, playing in the Welsh League for Traharrris Athletic
and after we played on a Friday, all the lads had a pint and
played a few games of darts. I was asked to play in a proper
match and it all came naturally to me. I won every match I
played and before I knew it, I was playing Super League darts
and County for Glamorgan. The football went on the back-burner
and the darts just took off for me."
Even though the Welshman has been a latecomer to the sport,
he has made up for lost time in spectacular fashion. "I
reckon I can make the top 10 because I am not defending much
money at events and that will be a huge help on the PDC Order
of Merit. I would love another run in a TV 'Major'.
I know I have the ability and I am used to the cameras and
bright lights and big stages now."
After winning a place at the IDL, via the qualifiers, Bates
won his group to earn a place in the 1st Round proper and
was unfortunate not to progress. He lost last leg deciders
to both Adrian Lewis and Martin Adams. Victory in either of
those matches would have earned him a place in the last 16
- but it was a valuable experience for the Welshman.
The best victory of his career came in November 2006. He
won the Players Championship tournament in Holland and performed
brilliantly to beat Phil Taylor in the final by 3 sets to
2. Every set went to the deciding leg but Bates kept his cool,
with a 100 plus average, to secure a first ever win over Taylor.
He also qualified for the first ever Grand Slam of Darts
but missed out in a tough group featuring Kevin Painter and
Gary Anderson and he also hopes that his successes can persuade
the next batch of Welsh greats to take up the sport... he
believes the talent is there and with encouragement, the youngsters
will come back to darts in a big way.
Bates lives in Bedlinog near Merthyr Tydfil and away from
darts, he is an avid follower of Cardiff City.
The familiar limp on the stage has become a hallmark but
Bates believes people will be talking about his darts not
his injury during 2008!
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