Amputee Ricky Chilton wins world wheelchair darts title
- From the section Darts
Ricky Chilton, who had his leg amputated because of bone cancer, has won the world wheelchair darts title.
The 41-year-old from St Ives in Cornwall took the title in Hull seven years after losing his left leg by beating Manchester's Phil Lees 3-2 at the Winmau World Masters.
"I almost gave up on playing darts because I thought I could never do it again," he told BBC Radio Cornwall.
"But then I thought 'why should I be beaten by something like that?'."
The feat was made all the more remarkable as Chilton had to re-train himself to throw darts from a wheelchair, as he usually plays standing up using his crutches.
Wheelchair players throw from a standard oche, but the bullseye is lower by around 15 inches.
"It took a bit of getting used to," Chilton said of playing sitting down.
"I had to learn where to throw and how to throw, I had to change everything, but I wasn't going to let it beat me.
"Sometimes when I play you think I'd have never thrown a dart before, but I have more good days than bad days and occasionally it goes back to the old standard I used to play at.
"It's unbelievable, it's only really just sinking in," added Chilton, who plays for Penzance's Buffalo Club.
