ANTHONY RECKONS BDO IS ON THE UP
Rutherglen darts referee back at the Lakeside again
Rutherglen man and darts referee Antony Dundas believes the BDO World Championships are getting better and better every year.
The Castlemilk Road resident was once again involved in the thick of it as he shouted out the numbers at one of the sport’s most prestigious competitions.
Antony, 30, has refereed in both the two previous BDO world men’s finals but was not selected this time around and was instead handed some enthralling ties on the oche.
The controller at a local taxi firm was there to announce the winner in the youth final between Nathan Girvan and rising star Justin Van Tergouw from the Netherlands who threw with three 180s during the match on his way to an average of 88.
Antony, who plays darts himself for Cambuslang’s Old Oak Inn in the East Kilbride and District League, also officiated a match involving last year’s champion Scott Waites.
He defeated Dennis Harbour 3- 1 and Antony’s booming voice was heard on TV when this year’s overall winner, Glen Durrant, successfully made his way through the quarter and semi-final stages.
But despite not getting the chance to referee his third final in a row, Antony was delighted to have been involved in his fifth outing at the Lakeside.
He said: “It was another amazing year and the competition just keeps getting better and better.
“I didn’t get to referee the final this year but I was in charge of the mens’ semi-final and the world youth final between Justin Van Tergouw and Nathan Girvan from Scotland.
“Justin is the next big thing in darts. He was averaging higher then some of the men in the final. He didn’t start too well but then stormed the last few sets.
“Richard Ashdown is the chief referee so it’s down to him to make sure we all referee the same amount of matches so it’s a very fair system. There’s four of us and every single one of us has shown why we deserved to referee the big matches. I’m not disappointed at all at not being chosen. Whoever was picked to referee I would have been delighted for.”
The BBC, who usually cover the competition, dropped the coverage this year but Antony insists the quality still shown through with Channel 4 and BT Sport taking over the rights.
“There was a lot of change because the BBC scrapped their coverage after last year,”
Antony added. “So we were on Channel 4 and BT Sport and the players seemed to be more relaxed. The atmosphere was amazing as it always is and the event as a whole was run very well.
“It’s absolutely amazing and a real honour to be asked to referee at the BDO. I still get goosebumps and a chill down my spine when I enter the Lakeside. They call it the home of world darts and you can certainly see why.”
It was another amazing year and the competition just keeps getting better and better