Gates looks to Wright as source of inspiration: "If you don't have the know-how and persistence, it's not a young man's game"

Leonard Gates will play at this year's PDC World Darts Championship after sealing the North American Championship and is buzzing to finally get the chance to go to battle at the Alexandra Palace.

“I'm so delighted because the crowd there is going to be like: ‘This guy made it’ so I'm going to be there to represent and be in that atmosphere and play some good darts,” said Gates.

“I am also going to be better prepared, to give the fans something and to showcase my talent. I am looking forward to it.

“Each year when I’m not there, I’m watching it and I’m like: ‘I want to be there, I want to experience that. Whoever they put in front of me, let’s go to battle.”

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He looks to Peter Wright as an over 50 player who has made it in to the top as inspiration that it is never too late.

“There’s always talk about it being a young man’s game. They are going to tell you everything is a young man’s game.

“I’m sorry but if you don’t have the experience, if you don’t have the know-how and the persistence to keep doing something, it’s not a young man’s game.

“I tell people you can always improve in this game. It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you stick with it, you can improve on it, you can get better at it and you can go far in it.”