Who Is Darts Champion Luke Humphries?

March 2024 ยท 1 minute read

While profiling Luke Humphries for The Guardian, sportswriter Jonathan Liew drew a sharp contrast between the young darts player and an older generation. Liew described the latter through the "Come Dine With Me" lens, referring to their cultivation of simple, easily read personas to increase recognition and drama. In the darts world, this translated to a lot of swaggering machismo and an affected indifference.

Humphries, though given the nickname "Cool Hand Luke" by the press, has a reputation for authenticity. Some darts fans have complained that this makes him boring to watch. But others have found it refreshing and exciting to see him openly show frustration, nervousness, and tears of joy without manufactured histrionics.

It's a level of comfortability that was long coming, as Humphries has discussed his episodes of anxiety early in his darts career. Despite enjoying the sport and recognizing his talent, he struggled to maintain his level of skill when he began playing at televised events and, according to The Telegraph, suffered heart palpitations enough to check with a cardiologist. He considered retiring in 2019, but therapy helped his game and his mental health ahead of the 2023/24 PDC season he eventually won.

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