WDDA World Championship Draw: Former World Masters champion D’Hondt faces South Korean ace

Vincent D’Hondt will take on South Korea’s Kwang Hee Cho as the inaugural World Disability Darts Association World Championship takes place in the Netherlands.

Over €4,000 will be on offer on January 31, with 32 of the world’s best disabled throwers taking to Assen during the world’s most populated darts tournament – the Dutch Open.

D’Hondt, the reigning Dutch Open and German Open champion, will be amongst the favourites leading into the inaugural championship, having lifted the now discontinued WDDA World Masters on two occasions.

The Belgian thrower said: “With the support of Winmau it will be a wonderful event. It is the logical next step in disability darts that thanks to organisations in Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK has grown enormously.

“It is wonderful what Winmau does for this, yet everyone will be more focused on winning the world title – money is for a while, a title is forever.”

Former World Masters champion Ricky Chilton takes on Serge van Belle, while Belgium’s Jackie Goethals will face Bruno Laurent.

France’s Laurent recently replaced China’s Yao Shi Jin – who was forced to withdraw from the prestigious tournament thanks to Wuhan Airport being abruptly closed due to the ongoing coronavirus.

Michael White, the most recent WDDA World Masters champion, locks horns in a first round thriller with Malta Open and British Classic runner-up Mike Callaghan, as former World Masters finalist Phil Lees faces Shane Harvard of Wales.

A total of 12 nationalities will be on show during the inaugural WDDA World Championship, with the first champion being crowned.

WDDA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31

DE BONTE WEVER, ASSEN, NETHERLANDS

FIRST ROUND

Luc de Baere v Pete Bramley

Rob Gillian v Brian Flink

Vincent D’Hondt v Kwang Hee Cho

Darren Kennish v Paul Hampton

Phil Lees v Paul Harvard

Michael van Velzen v Ivan Zotov

Paul Gelder v Matt Doe

Jonathan Hirst v Bjorn Schiweck

Matthijs Wissink v Frederic Simon

Bruno Laurent v Jackie Goethals

Mike Callaghan v Michael Davies

Lajos Viragos-Kiss v David Hillsberg

Serge van Belle v Ricky Chilton

Joszef Miklos v Cliff Ruiter

Anton van Hemert v Armin Willhelm

Adrie van der Rassel v Kevin Stringer

Photography by Evert Zomer