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Markham’s Gerwyn Price has been crowned darts world champion after a rousing 7-3 victory over two-time world champion Gary Anderson on Sunday evening (January 3).
Price, 35, became the first Welsh player to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy, claiming half a million pounds in prize money in the process.
The victory also sees Price move to top spot in the PDC Order of Merit – ahead of Dutchman Michael van Gerwen.
Speaking after the match, which was held at the Alexandra Palace in London, Price said: “This means everything to me. It means the world.”
Despite finding himself two legs down, Price hit back to win the first set.
Anderson levelled with the second set, but Price brought out his A-game to march into a dominant 5-1 lead – needing just two more sets to win the match.
Anderson, who was competing in his fifth World Championship final, pulled one back by winning the seventh set, before Price won the following set to move within one set of victory.
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After winning two more legs, Price had the chance to wrap up proceedings, but went on to miss nine match darts across two legs, which the Flying Scotsman capitalised on to steal the set.
Anderson continued to punish Price in the tenth set, with the Iceman feeling the pressure as the game headed towards a tense finish.
But after Anderson missed six darts, Price found himself a throw away from the win.
Stepping back to take a glance at the trophy, Price threw a double five to seal the win in dramatic fashion.
Price said: “I bombed numerous opportunities to win it towards the end but I knew that I had put myself in such a good position that I would have another chance. Gary missed to give it me and I’m glad I took it.
“I’ve never felt pressure like that in my life. It was so tough to hit that winning double but the feeling after doing it is so difficult to explain. I’m the World Champion; it’s unbelievable.
“I’m proud to be world number one too. It’s probably even tougher to achieve that than it is to become World Champion. To manage both is incredible for me.”
On his way to the final, Price beat Jamie Lewis, Brendan Dolan, Mervyn King, Darryl Gurney and Stephen Bunting.
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