A Maritime man is back home after coming close to winning the World Darts Championship in England last weekend.
Jeff Smith first joined a youth league at the Royal Canadian Legion in Hampton, N.B. and, since then, the 40-year-old has become one of the highest ranked dart throwers in the world.
He made his way into the finals of the British Darts Organization World Championship, earning him celebrity status in Europe.
“It didn’t matter where I went. I was asked for autographs at the local restaurant or at the Chinese food place,” says Smith, who co-owns a car repair shop in Hampton.
“When you’re done your match, there’s 500 people out there waiting to hopefully get a picture with you or an autograph. It’s quite a feeling, really.”
While Smith fixes cars to pay the bills in Hampton, local residents who have watched his rise to the top say he’s somewhat of a celebrity there too.
“He is such a great ambassador for the country and the community,” says resident Bob Gallup. “He’s so polite and unassuming when it comes to the level at which he is playing right now. He is being hailed by other really good dart players around the world.”
Smith will leave his shop and return to England next month for another competition, with a bit more experience under his belt.
“Like I say, you just try to be as calm and as a focused as you can … and try not to look back and realize there’s 4,000 or 5,000 people out there in the crowd,” he says.
But he’s also keeping an eye on the world championships a year from now.
Last year he made it to the semi-finals and this year, the finals; Hampton residents are hoping their community will be home to a world championship next year.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Mike Cameron
