Peter’s on top of the world
Livingston star is crowned world darts No.1
it again’ – because Michael could come back with nine or 11-darters and blow me away like in the past.
“You should never give up. It doesn’t matter how many times you get beaten. I have done it.”
Wright quickly opened up a twoset advantage before once again showing his class on the doubles to surge into a 4-2 lead after the Dutch ace had pulled level.
Set five proved to be the decisive one with van Gerwen missing a string of doubles which would have put him in front, allowing Wright to regain the lead.
It was virtually one- way traffic from then on with van Gerwen looking flustered and, at one point, walking off stage mistakenly thinking there was a break.
There was perhaps a worry of history repeating itself when the Dutchman narrowed the gap to a single set at 4-3 but Wright showed nerves of steel to reel off the next three sets.
The dream was complete when he hit double-10 to claim his first world title and the £500,000 prize that came along with it.
Wright said: “When I started playing darts, I promised myself I would win a world title by the time I’m 50.
“During the night before the final I woke up suddenly and thought, ‘ I’m 50 in March so I’d better do something about it and win it this year.’
“It would have been annoying, so disappointing to look back and find myself cast as the greatest runner-up in the world if I wasn’t able to pick up this trophy.
“Jimmy White and Colin Montgomerie were always known as the best players never to win the big one in their sports and I thought, ‘I’m not going to be one of them’.
“People ask me if this will change my life – but it’s not the money. From now on, I will get the ‘world champion’ thing.”