DailySun
KAI GOTTHARDT has successfully advanced to the second round of the PDC World Championship, despite a peculiar incident during his victory over Alan Soutar.
The 29-year-old German made his World Darts debut on Monday afternoon, battling against the Scotsman in front of a lively audience at Ally Pally.
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Currently ranked at No. 135 in the world, Gotthardt entered the first-round bout with significant odds against him.
He delivered a remarkable performance, securing his place in Round Two with a 3-1 triumph over the experienced Soutar.
However, an unexpected turn of events during the first set resulted in a flurry of social media activity and the suspension of the match.
With the score at 2-1 in legs against him, Gotthardt informed the officials that he was down to just two usable darts.
The flustered German then showed his darts to caller George Noble, who promptly guided him off the stage.
It appeared that he had inadvertently broken the barrel of one of his darts entirely.
On his debut at this prestigious venue, he had mistakenly left his backup set behind.
Sky Sports cameras captured the stunned newcomer searching for a replacement set in his dressing room.
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Meanwhile, a confused Soutar engaged with the animated crowd while waiting alone at the oche.
One fan observed on X: “Three legs into his debut and this happens. Incredible.”
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Another added: “This isn’t great marketing if he’s looking to sell them.”
A third user mentioned: “It’s bizarre that he only brought one set of darts to the stage without any spare barrels or flights.”
Sky commentator Chris Mason remarked live: “I’ve seen points break. Initially, I thought it was the point that snapped, but it turned out to be the actual barrel!”
“Dart designs have progressed significantly, featuring various tungsten elements to adjust weight distribution either at the front or back.
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“Sometimes, manufacturing can expose a weak point.
“Usually, players maintain a complete spare set in their case in case a point breaks.
“However, to leave the stage and fetch a completely different set of darts mid-game is something I’ve never witnessed.”
Despite this setback, Gotthardt returned to showcase one of the best performances of his career.
The 29-year-old averaged 89.10, achieving 34 visits of 100 or more during his 3-1 victory.
Gotthardt is set to compete against fan-favorite Stephen Bunting in the second round on Friday.
