A bizarre incident brought a sudden halt to a match at the WDF World Darts Championship, as Czech player Dalibor Smolik unexpectedly walked off the stage during his opponent's throw. The unusual stoppage occurred during his first-round clash with Finland's Marko Kantele at the iconic Lakeside venue.
The Mysterious Mid-Match Disappearance
The match was finely poised, with the pair having shared the first two sets. As the third set began, Smolik had 16 remaining to win the opening leg. However, while Kantele was taking his throw, broadcasters and the crowd realised Smolik had vanished from the oche. "Well, Dalibor Smolik has just walked off the stage for reasons unknown. I wonder if he may have been caught short," one commentator speculated live on air.
His co-commentator added to the speculation, noting the lack of scheduled breaks in the format. "Perhaps. I did mention that there's no breaks in this game. Maybe he wasn't aware of that after he won the second set. He did rush off the stage rather quickly." The situation was summarised as a "highly irregular situation at Lakeside."
A Swift Return and Match Resolution
After a brief absence, Smolik returned to the stage to applause from the audience. Following handshakes with Kantele and a score check with an official, the 46-year-old was immediately back in action. In a twist of fate, he managed to check out on double four to win that very leg, securing a break of throw in the process. "Took him a little bit longer than expected," a commentator noted after the dart landed.
Smolik regained his composure fully after the strange episode, going on to secure a 3-1 victory over Kantele. The win books his place in the second round, where he will face Germany's Paul Krohne on Monday evening.
Context of the WDF Championship
The event at Lakeside is the WDF World Darts Championship, now in its fourth edition after launching in 2022. It is the successor to the famous BDO World Championship and positions itself as a rival to the PDC's premier event. The winner of this year's tournament will claim a £50,000 top prize. The reigning champion, Shane McGuirk, has already progressed to the third round.
While unusual, the incident did not derail Smolik's campaign, and he lives to fight another day in the quest for the prestigious title.
