Gerwyn Price in tip-top shape ahead of World Darts Championship
With victory in the Grand Slam of Darts, Gerwyn Price set down a marker. The ‘Iceman’ won’t be content to rest on his laurels, and will be looking to add to the maiden World Championship title he won back in January.
“I’d like to be, you know, a two, three, four, five-time world champ and multiple world champ,” Price recently said.“I want to win the Premier League, I want to win things that I haven’t won, like this weekend we have the Players Championship Finals and I’ve been to the final [in 2019]. I have got to go and win those events, that’s the sort of things that motivate me now. Getting up for events that I haven’t won and obviously trying to double up and triple up on events that I have won as well.”
The former rugby player produced some fine performances at Alexandra Palace last year to walk away with the title. Few expected that Price could ascend to the heights he has reached, but a singular focus and determination has seen him achieve things that no one thought possible. Winning the World Championship was his crowning moment, and now there is a real desire to create a lasting legacy in the sport.
Price is far from the most popular darts champion. Indeed, boos usually ring out when he takes to the stage, or when he wins a tournament, but it seems as though the 36-year-old relishes his role as the villain in the piece. There is a fierce desire to prove his critics wrong, and that is what has driven Price to achieving such a fine run of success in the sport.
His latest win at the Grand Slam of Darts is his third triumph in that competition in the space of four years. Given how difficult a tournament it is to win, you can only admire the way in which Price has found his form there on such a consistent basis.
The next challenge is the World Championship, where he’ll understandably be the favourite in the darts odds to defend his title. As fate would have it, Price could come up against headline-maker Fallon Sherrock in the third round at Alexandra Palace, which would be a hugely entertaining clash. Sherrock recently became the first woman to reach the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts, and she’ll be looking to build on that and potentially cause an upset at Ally Pally.
Price will have his sights firmly set on victory in the World Championship — anything else would be considered a disappointment. That’s the kind of mentality the Welshman boasts as he seeks to make most of his potential and land as many titles as possible.
There will, of course, be a pack of hungry challengers eager to deny him victory over the festive period. Looking at the darts news from Betfair, Michael van Gerwen will be keen to get back on the title trail as far as the World Championship is concerned, and Peter Wright is also a strong contender having won it two years ago. Their challenge is to overthrow the king — Price won’t give up his crown without a fight.
