The whole of South Africa was on its feet with vuvuzelas, as Siphiwe Tshabalala scored against Mexico in the opening game of last year’s World Cup Finals. If Oscar Pistorius achieves a gold medal at next year’s Olympic Games, the entire nation will be on its feet again.
Imagine having a whole country’s expectations on your shoulders. Imagine the pressure of being able to toss tungsten better than anyone else in the world. Imagine the atmosphere as thousands of people are drunkenly dancing to Chase the Sun by Planet Funk.
In many sports, if you haven’t been scouted by your late teens, then you might as well give up. At 18 years of age, Devon Petersen was just starting. Due to the late nights and excessive amounts of alcohol that is stereotypical in darts, a request from Petersen’s parents was that he didn’t play until he had finished his schooling.
Six years on, Petersen is undoubtedly the best darts player from South Africa.
“My father told me that I was quite good and after that there was no stopping me,” the 24 year old said. “He told me to never fear losing.”
It has been a year to remember for the former banking consultant from Mitchell's Plain. After leaving behind his family in South Africa, Petersen now resides in Brighouse in order to follow his dream of becoming one of the best darts players in the world.
“I will be World Champion,” says Petersen who has gone from strength to strength. “The only person that stops you from reaching your goals is yourself. You only have one life to live - so live it.”
Petersen, who became the first professional darts player from Africa, reveals that despite the ambition, never thought he would be able to achieve it.
“Just playing in the PDC [Professional Darts Corporation] was a dream for me,” he said. “I have shown that what you dream can become a reality.”
The South African suffered mixed fortunes during his debut at the Alexandra Palace for the 2011 PDC World Darts Championships last December. After a preliminary round victory against Norman Madhoo from Guyana, Petersen succumbed to a three sets to one defeat at the hands of Jamie Caven in the first round.
It has certainly been a rollercoaster ride for young Petersen. In September, he retained the South African Open to qualify for the 2012 PDC World Darts Championships.
“It’s a great feeling to be back there at the Alexandra Palace and to play on the biggest stage of darts,” he said.
Currently ranked 116 in the world, Petersen has aspirations of improving on his performance from last year at the ‘Ally Pally’.
“I’d like to better that achievement. It could have been so much different if I hit my doubles. This year I’d like to play after Christmas, which would be in the second or third round. Anything after the third round would be a bonus for me.”
Petersen also believes that the experience he has gained in the past year is vital for his future in the sport. “I’ve learnt that confidence is a big factor in the game. It’s about strategy; it’s about pacing yourself, knowing what to do against what players and how to approach the game,” he said. “I’ve got a good recipe for next year.”
In a sport that has been dominated by Phil Taylor for the last 20 years, Petersen finds it hard to admire anyone other than ‘The Power’ for his achievements. He admits that on the pro-circuit, you appreciate people for reasons other than just their achievements.
“You look up to players based on personality, their approach to the game and on the way they conduct themselves,” he said. “Players like Justin Pipe, Simon Whitlock, Wes Newton and Barrie Bates.”
“There are obviously clicks, like the Dutch guys tend to stick together. There’s no bad vibes though. It’s a close-knit community more than anything else.”
It is very much a case of ‘Contender, ready!’ as referee John Anderson used to say on the TV game show Gladiators. Earlier this year, Petersen, nicknamed ‘The Spartan’, became part of a new sponsorship quadruplet with Unicorn. ‘The Contenders’ as they are known, are all professionals establishing their careers in darts that are likely to surprise many with their skill, dedication and 'can do' enthusiasm.
“My manager approached them [Unicorn] and they said they would like to sign me,” Petersen said. “Getting the support of Unicorn, the brand of champions, just makes the gamble worthwhile.”
The South African role-model understands that because of social media, the pressure and expectations on him have increased. “Due to Facebook and all other communications, people begin to follow you intensely and you know they are looking for results,” he said. “At the end of the day, all I can do is to try my best.”
Despite being a country commonly recognised for Cricket and Rugby Union, Petersen believes that darts in South Africa is on the rise. “It’s a sleeping giant kind of thing, he said following the recent launch of the South African Professional Darts Organisation.
“There’s definitely a few playing striving hard to perfect their game and hopefully come over here. There will be a few South African’s coming over for Q-School next year.”
Petersen became one of the inaugural winners of a PDC Pro-Tour Card in January 2011 at Q-School – the event that enabled him to class himself as a professional.
Petersen’s move to West Yorkshire was in order to practise with youngster, Joe Cullen. Tipped as ‘the next big thing’, Petersen agrees that Cullen could be a future star. “He definitely has the potential to become a big player. He just needs to utilise what he has,” he said. “It’s whether he has the potential to use his own potential.”
Since Barry Hearn’s acquisition of a majority shareholding in the Professional Darts Corporation in 2001, the gap between the PDC and the BDO (British Darts Organisation) has become increasingly apparent. With a number of tournaments taking place almost every weekend throughout the year, Petersen believes that Hearn has had a major influence in the PDC circuit.
“He has definitely taken darts to what it is today. He’s been a big help. There’s very little that you can change - Everything is perfect as it is,” Petersen said.
The BDO turned down an offer of £2milion from Hearn in 2010 in an attempt to ‘invest in the future of darts’. Petersen reveals: “It’s [BDO] definitely a lower league to the PDC. You can’t compare it really. It’s like comparing chalk to cheese.”
In 2009, the BDO made a turnover of £16,000, whereas the PDC made a profit of over £1m.
Since the introduction of the Grand Slam of Darts in 2007, British television broadcasts no fewer than six events throughout a year. “It’s almost a perfectly oiled engine,” Petersen said.
Petersen believes he has what it takes to become a Top 10 player within the next couple of years. If the rate of progress continues at a similar rate to the last six years, there is no reason why his next ambitions shouldn’t also become a reality.
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