3 weeks ago
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THERE WILL be no emotional Ally Pally send-off for Steve Beaton as his record World Championship sequence was finally ended.
Between 1992 and 2024, the Bronzed Adonis was part of the field for the sport’s biggest tournament, first on the BDO circuit and then the PDC when he moved over in 2002.
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GettyBut he lost at the first hurdle of Tour Card Holder qualifying in Wigan on Monday afternoon, going down 6-5 to Scotsman Darren Beveridge.
Beaton, 60, is retiring at the end of the year and sadly he will not get the chance to say a proper goodbye to all his fans.
The darts ace’s streak lasted longer than the famous one held by WWE wrestler The Undertaker.
He won 21 matches in a row at Wrestlemania, the biggest event on the WWE calendar, between 1991 and 2013 – with fans hailing the achievement as ‘The Feat’.
And The Undertaker only missed two years, first in 1994 and then in 2000, due to injury.
Back in the darts, other big-name casualties in the last-chance saloon qualifying phase include Jelle Klaasen, Mervyn King, Jose de Sousa and Simon Whitlock.
The four qualifiers were Welshman Rhys Griffin, Dutchman Jeffrey De Zwaan, Irishman Dylan Slevin and Canadian Matt Campbell.
The World Champ draw took place in Central London and reigning world champion Luke Humphries will open up on day one against either Frenchman Thibault Tricole or Australian Joe Comito.
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Michael Smith, winner of the 2023 Sid Waddell Trophy, could drop out of the world’s top 16 if he bombs at the flagship event.
Bully Boy – who lifted the £500,000 title thanks to a perfect leg – has a second-round clash against either Kevin Doets or Noa-Lynn van Leuven, the sport’s first transgender player.
Michael van Gerwen is up against either Canadian qualifier Jim Long or Englishman James Hurrell.
Luke Littler meanwhile could be set for a dream second round tie.
The schedule of play before Christmas will be announced in the next few days.
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