Luke Humphries was considered the top favorite, but the long road to becoming darts world champion was complicated. Mental problems also played a role.
On the biggest night of his life, the trophy, which weighed almost 25 kilograms, felt very light. Luke Humphries – nickname “Cool hand Luke” – just needed the right arm to show the fans in London Alexandra Palace to present the trophy. A few minutes earlier, the 22-gram arrow that had to go into the double eight at the end had felt much heavier. “My arm was shaking like crazy, luckily it went well”said the best darts player in the world in the winner’s interview on stage.
Almost all experts had identified Humphries as the top favorite, his darts year 2023 was too strong. The longed-for first major title in October was followed by two more major tournament victories before the World Cup. Unlike his final opponent Luke Littler, Humphries is not a shooting star, but gradually went through all the important development steps in the system of the professional organization PDC. It started on the development tour for young players, where Humphries got the right to play on the professional tour. In 2019 he became PDC junior world champion, and at the professional world championships he drew attention with a win against defending champion Rob Cross.
The struggle with mental problems
Before that, his career seemed almost over, the young Englishman struggled with panic and anxiety attacks. “So I’m not the only one in this room and I’m not the only professional athlete either,” On the evening of his greatest triumph, Humphries looked back on the difficult times in the press round at Alexandra Palace. “Talking about it openly helped me a lot. I also received a lot of messages from other athletes who have similar problems.”
Anyone who compares photos of Luke Humphries from five years ago with those from today will immediately notice the significant weight loss caused by the pandemic. The break from the stressful professional circus felt good. The travel also eliminated the late, unhealthy meals after tournaments. Humphries did more exercise, changed his diet and improved his body image, an important step on the way to becoming world champion.
Leeds United congratulates
Like many darts professionals, Luke Humphries is a big football fan, which was dictated by his father when he gave his name. “Leeds United Kings of Europe“, shortened to Luke, who still regularly follows the current second division team’s games in the stadium. The club congratulated the new world champion on social media, and further invitations will certainly follow. Humphries has good contact with some players and also with the German coach Daniel Farke. He asked the darts professional for a photo together for his son, a “surreal situation”, as Humphries modestly described it in an interview with “DailyStar“.
Big sounds are not the thing for the man who has a one-and-a-half-year-old son with his girlfriend. While other darts professionals appear extroverted on stage and in interviews, Humphries appears calm and reflective. “I’m not one to constantly say ‘I’m the best’. I let my darts do the talking.” Before the final, he also patiently answered the numerous questions about shooting star Luke Littler, while other professionals such as Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson were rather annoyed by the hype surrounding the teenager.
Calm, matter-of-fact, ripped off
This inner peace also helped on stage. The World Cup was about to be eliminated twice, including in the match against the German Ricardo Pietreczko, who led 3-1 and was very close to a big surprise. The many German fans whistled at Humphries, but he turned up the heat at exactly the right moment and won the third round game, which he called “one of the most difficult of my career” designated. Humphries refrained from saying bad words to the German fans. “I forgot that again”, he laughed in the press round after the World Cup title. He is actually really looking forward to the next tournaments in Germany.
Luke Humphries (l.) in the final against Luke Littler
On the evening of his greatest triumph, Luke Humphries was already thinking about the coming months in the merciless mental sport of darts. “At the moment I may be the best darts player in the world, but that could look completely different in a few weeks.” In the past ten years, only once has a world champion successfully defended his title in London.