Day Eight of the 2026 Professional Darts Corporation World Darts Championship produced the competition’s most magical moment yet on Thursday afternoon at the Alexandra Palace, popularly known as the Ally Pally.
Unranked Kenyan debutant David Munyua stunned Belgian Mike De Decker after coming from behind to secure a 3-2 win in their Round One tie. De Becker is Belgium’s top-ranked darts player and also the world number 18 but Munyua sent him homeward with his stellar credentials.
Munyua, nicknamed ‘Whynot’, had promised to showcase the best of African darts when he competes at the Ally Pally, the Kabati resident had told James Wokabi and Elijah Ouko last month during an interview on SportOn! – NTV’s Monday night sports talk show.
“Beyond aiming for the prize money, I want my performance to showcase the best of Kenyan darts because we have talented players here. I want my play at the Ally Pally to result in more slots for African players. That will make me happy,” Munyua had said.
“It’s crazy. It is so big for me to even express it right now. I did not expect it but I am so excited about it. I am not just happy for myself but also for guys back in my country who are going crazy. They are very happy about it,” Munyua said of his historic victory. He was speaking to the PDC Darts media.
“It is a special feeling for me and for other darts players in Kenya and East Africa. We have great players and they are happy that they can see that there is something out of darts. It is not just something we do for fun,” Munyua added on the significance of his achievement.
“This was the most important game for me. Now I have time to relax and get back to my nerves and face whoever comes next,” he said on his next contest, which will be on Monday, December 22, against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. The competition, which started on December 11, will run until January 3, 2026, when the final will be played.
This year’s competition features 128 players, up from 96 last year, making it the biggest yet. The prize money is £5,000,000 (Sh853 million). The winner will walk away with £1,000,000 (Sh171 million). For reaching the second round, Munyua stands is guaranteed of earning £25,000 (Sh4.3 million). Reaching the third round will boost his earnings to £35,000 (Sh6.03 million).
On Thursday afternoon Munyua, who is the first Kenyan and non-South African to compete at the PDC World Darts Championship, kept that promise but not without drama that makes legend of his giant-killing antics.
Munyua walked out to the Ally Pally with an enchanting swagger. He brushed his shoulders and he danced his way to the stage, with Sofiya Nzau’s Mwaki playing in the background.
A baptism of fire quickly fire, with De Becker winning the first two legs of the first set. Yet, Munyua conjured some defiance, winning the third set to give a preview of what was to come. De Becker fought back and won the fourth leg, claiming victory in the first set after Munyua had squandered an opportunity to force a do-or-die fifth leg.
The second set saw more improvement from Munyua but it was De Becker who doubled his lead to 2-0 after winning that set three legs to two.
Yet, that was the end De Becker’s dominance as the Munyua show visited the Ally Pally. With the two players tied on 2-2 in the third set, Munyua clinched his first set after winning the fifth leg despite a miscount that initially tilted the scales in favour of the Belgian. Munyua, with a chance to kill the decisive leg, checked out with 125 instead of 135.
He palmed his face in shock and despair at his folly. Yet, his blunder offered De Becker no lifeline. The Belgian still had 183 remaining on the board and he managed to reduce it to 102 after his turn. Munyua returned to the board and won the leg with one a dart finish – a double five that won him his first ever set at the Ally Pally.
Still, there was more to come, and history followed him along. But before that, he wrote his name in the Ally Pally book of mischievous acts, killing a bothersome wasp and putting it in his pocket before facing the board with a sharper sting.
A see-saw fourth set went his way after he capitalised on a bust by De Becker. The Belgian failed to clear 40 on the board but Munyua, on 38, left no unfinished business. He arrowed his dart to a double 19 to force a decider set.
Munyua reigned supreme in the final set, winning three legs to one. His celebrations, after hitting a two-dart finish to clear 40 on the board, were accompanied by pyrotechnics.
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