"I just wanted to make Africa, South Africa and Cape Town proud": Devon Petersen seals dream inaugural ADC Global title

Devon Petersen won the first edition of the ADC Global Championship last weekend, a tournament featuring 24 players from just about every part of the world. The 38-year-old South African beat Dutchman Marvin van Velzen 4-2 in the final.

It was an overjoyed Petersen was interviewed after the win. "As my tender life of 32 + vat, it's challenging to do many firsts especially in a sport like this. To be the inaugural champion, it's been a dream of mine to lift a Global title. This is potentially the first of many but you have to take that step," said Petersen.

"It's going to mean a lot more to the continent of Africa than it is to me. What it means for the development, the opportunity and just what the ADC have now created as a platform for us to have the first global champion as an African is phenomenal."

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But also it has a lasting effect both on the current crop of darting stars from Africa as well as the future crop.

"I just wanted to make Africa, South Africa and Cape Town proud. We play for our own personal glory and of course there's financial gain but for me having The African Warrior on my back, there's a lot more that comes with it. There's the development aspect to it, it's looking at the likes of Dartboard Maths. It's all of these pathways that can change communities lives and kids lives that are underserved in Africa. You look at darts as an accessible sport, it's now an opportunity to go from Garage to Grand Slam and change your life."

"It's the first time as an adult that someone has a global, international or world word before it and lifting that trophy as an inaugural it will be forever be the first."

"If I'm the leader and burning light, that's what I want to do. The likes of Peter Wachiuri, Cameron Carolissen go against Wessel Nijman the other day, Johan Geldenhuys, Simon Adams. You look at all these elements and you want to make sure the legacy you leave, everyone who follows that makes a deeper imprint."

While he will hope that Q-School will spell the end to his run of not being a Tour Card holder and it is finally looking up again after a poor few years.

"We know that Q-School is three weeks away. It's been a tormentous three years for me. You know exactly how good you can be and dominant you can be and when your arm isn't working as it should, it's really excruciating. The sport you love being taken away from you because of injury, it's taken time I've had to work on it. Now for me, that means so much."

"It might be the last Global championship I win, it might be the last. That for me will forever be in my hearts."

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