New school of excellence to head Olympic darts bid

Britain is to get its first school of excellence in darts as part of an effort to achieve Olympic status for the game.



Students will be coached in Hull from the age of seven in a scheme modelled on a Dutch project whose graduates include the world darts champion Jelle Klaasen, 21.

The school's director, John Gibbs, said: "The days are gone when darts players had a fag in their mouth, a pint of beer in their hand and a big belly.

We have cleaned up our image and it's a proper sport."