In one of the most remarkable upsets of this year's tournament, a Kenyan veterinarian turned darts professional has stolen the show at the World Darts Championship, both with his play and his unique reaction to the event's now-infamous insect intruder.
Veterinarian's Unusual Tactics Against The Ally Pally Wasp
David Munyua, a full-time vet from Nairobi, produced a seismic shock on Thursday night at Alexandra Palace. He fought back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the 18th seed, Mike De Decker, in a thrilling 3-2 victory. The dramatic turnaround was punctuated by an unexpected mid-match visitor: the persistent Ally Pally wasp, which landed directly on Munyua's face.
Rather than simply swatting it away in frustration, Munyua revealed a different instinct. "I got it. I tried to put it in my pocket to stay with me because I love going through tough things," the debutant explained. He saw the insect, which has been plaguing players, as a potential good luck charm. "I would do my stuff with it, win or lose. But I don’t know how it escaped."
The Wasp's Continued Reign of Disruption
Despite Munyua's attempt at a capture, the tenacious wasp evaded its would-be keeper and continued its disruptive tour of the championship stage. Later the same evening, it was spotted causing a nuisance for Dave Chisnall, landing on his shirt during play.
This insect has become an unlikely star of the tournament, consistently vexing the competitors. Its notable interventions include:
- Being struck by Nitin Kumar during his win over Richard Veenstra.
- Reportedly stinging Martin Lukeman in his match against Max Hopp.
Its resilience was highlighted when Jurjen van der Velde arrived on stage armed with a can of insect spray before facing Danny Noppert, theatrically attempting to clear the air. Yet, the wasp survived to buzz another day.
Balancing Animals and Arrows
Munyua's desire to befriend the wasp is perhaps less surprising given his day job. He spoke candidly about the unique challenge of juggling his two passions. "Being a veterinarian in my country and also a darts player, there’s so many challenges you need to face to combine the both," he said.
"I have a passion in veterinary and treating animals, I also have a passion in growing sports in our area. During the day I’m dealing with my animals, but at the night I’m playing darts. I’m on call a lot of the time, so I can be throwing darts and then get a call."
His stunning victory on Thursday proves that, whether facing a daunting deficit or a dive-bombing insect, Munyua has the focus and fortitude to succeed on the sport's biggest stage.
