Sky Sports presenter Emma Paton has opened up about the heartbreaking injury that forced her to abandon a promising athletics career, a journey that ultimately led her to become a familiar face on the network's darts coverage.
From the Track to the Screen: A Dream Derailed
Before captivating audiences as the host of Sky Sports' World Darts Championship, Emma Paton was a dedicated athlete with her sights set on the Olympic Games. Competing at a national level in the 400 metres, her talent even earned her a cameo role in the 2012 film Fast Girls, where she played a Ukrainian relay runner.
"I wanted to go to the Olympics to represent Great Britain. That was the aim," Paton told Mirror Sport. However, persistent injuries intervened, crushing her athletic ambitions. "I had years of injuries and it didn’t really happen," she admitted, reflecting on the dream she had to leave behind.
Building a New Career in Broadcasting
With her path in athletics blocked, Paton turned her focus to a burgeoning media career. She secured a full-time role on the Sky Sports News breakfast show, a position that required punishing early starts. For a time, she juggled this demanding job with her training schedule.
"I managed to fit training around that for a long time," she explained. "But with injuries, I turned my attention to trying to make it on screen at Sky and have ended up hosting darts. It could be a lot worse!"
Her transition proved successful, and she has since become a key presenter for Sky Sports' major darts events, including the prestigious World Darts Championship.
Empathy Forged in Competition
Despite the obvious differences between athletics and darts, Paton finds a key similarity that allows her to connect with the players she interviews. Both are intensely individual pursuits.
"Different in many ways but similar in the fact that it's an individual sport. You’re just out there on your own," she said. "I've put myself on a start line, in that situation, although obviously not to the extent these players are playing at. That’s where it all started for me, my life was always rooted in sport."
Paton was on presenting duty for the 2026 World Championship final, which featured defending champion Luke Littler against Dutch number one Gian van Veen. The final was broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Events and Sky Sports Darts.
While her Olympic dream may have been unfulfilled, Emma Paton's story is one of resilience and successful reinvention, proving that a setback in one arena can lead to unexpected triumphs in another.
