In what is the JDC's biggest staged final bar the Junior World Championship final, the Triple 20 Super 16 final will be contested between Jack Johnson and Jayden Walker.
The Super 16 finals last weekend held over two days in Coventry, would see a day of group stage darts on Saturday with players from the JDC's bespoke academy system and the 16 open qualifiers from events held in October battle it out to make the knockout rounds on Sunday. The weekend would see some outstanding performances and a shock or two along the way.
Easily through the group phase on Saturday were the likes of Junior World Number one Archie Self, World Cup winner and 2024 Foundation Tour Champion, Scotland's Mitchell Lawrie as well as last years Super 16 winner Jospeh Westby and finalist Cayden Smith.
Sunday's 32 player field in the knockout rounds started as expected until the first of the favourites began to fall. Hot favourite was Cornwalls Jack Nankervis ( Foundation Tour Champion 2023 ) and academy ranked number one, fell at the first hurdle beaten 4-0 by Ireland's Jamie French. This was just the start of unexpected results.
World number one Archie Self would be defeated in a last leg shoot out with Alfie Cook running out 4-3 winner. Alfie cooks brother Lewis Cook ( JDC European Champion 2024 ) was also dispatched at the last 16 stage by now a hot favourite in Mitchell Lawrie. The last 16 would also see Cayden Smith and current Super 16 champ Jospeh Westby heading home.
With the event now wide open, 12 year old Jack Johnson and 12 year old Jayden Walker were just a couple of games from Milton Keynes and eased through to the Marshall Arena making the final with Johnson posting an 85 ave in his quarter final win and Walker an 82 ave in his semi final win.
Both Johnson and Walker although only 12yrs old are both JDC academy students and have played darts for some time. Johnson in his interview described how he may not have been in the tournament at all, as he has just got over dartitis. Walker, who has been spotted as one of the most promising talents in his interview implied "he just couldn't believe it"
The final will be contested on February 2nd with the winner receiving £1000,00 and the title of Super 16 champion 2025.
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