Steve Beaton claimed victory at the Lakeside in the Embassy World Championship back in 1996 but only after losing twice in the first round before that triumph.
ADVERTISEMENT
As part of the Golden Arrows Podcast series, Beaton looked back on that and admitted one goal spurred him on for the rest of the week.
"I just wanted to get through the first round again. I was playing well enough, it started to play on my mind a bit. It was such a relief to get through the first round and I just started going on from there," said Beaton.
"That actually fired me on for the rest of the week anyway because I think I was averaging 96 over the week."
On how he slept the night before the final, 'The Bronzed Adonis' said that he didn't sleep much but it is the same even now: "You're obviously just thinking the game through and how you're going to play. I probably got a few hours sleep in the end, even now when you play in matches; sometimes the night before it's hard to sleep. It's hard to put it out of your mind."
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
"I just wanted to get through the first round again!"
@Stevebeaton180 recounts how he overcame successive first-round Lakeside exits in 1994 and 1995 to go all the way and win the title in 1996.
👉: insidethewdf.podbean.com/e/golden-arrow…