2023-12-19 15:10:45
Published on December 19, 2023 at 4:10 p.m.
At 34, Breton Thibault Tricole became the first Frenchman to win a match at the world darts championship, which is currently taking place in London.
It’s hard to imagine it in France, but the World Darts Championship will ignite England until January 3, the date of the final. The country hosts the World Cup every year, the 31st edition of which is currently taking place at Alexandra Palace. And if the British, who monopolize the gold medals (25 out of 30, only the Canadian Part and the Dutch van Barneveld and van Gerwen having managed to break the hegemony), a Frenchman wrote a small page of history on Monday. Thibault Tricole, a 34-year-old Breton, became the first French national to participate in the professional world championship (he was crowned amateur and semi-professional world vice-champion in April 2022). And what’s more, he won his match! Opposed in the first round (the equivalent of a 64th final, as in a tennis Grand Slam) to the Belgian Mario Vandenbogaerde, better ranked than him (67th in the world against 146th), he won in four sets (2- 3, 3-2, 3-2, 3-2).
A world champion in the next round
Thibault Tricole will face Thursday in the second round the number 8 seed, the Englishman Rob Cross, crowned world champion in 2018. Suffice to say that the mission will be perilous for the native of Auray! Whatever happens, whoever assures in an interview with 20 Minutes living “properly” from darts for two years thanks to his sponsors, is guaranteed to leave with at least 7,500 pounds (or 8,711 euros) thanks to this victory on Monday. His qualification for the professional world championship (via the Western European qualifying tournament) prevented him from taking part in the amateur and semi-professional world championship, where he was aiming for the title this time , after his silver medal last year. No other Frenchman appeared in the table for this “second category” World Cup. “ I have always considered myself a pioneer, as is necessary in any sport, recognizes the Breton in 20 Minutes. And particularly in France where the discipline is not very developed. I still see more and more licensees, broadcasting on The Channel L’Equipe and my few good appearances necessarily play a little role in it. (…) I have become a bit of a lone wolf. I have no references, except abroad, I have no one to ask for advice. There is everything to create, it’s sometimes complicated, but that’s also what makes me proud. So that other French people follow in my footsteps and ask me for advice.” His fine performances in London will perhaps inspire vocations…
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