"I don't really like the limelight" - Ryan Searle happy to continue flying under the radar after reaching last 16 at European Championship 2024

For only the second time in his career, Ryan Searle is through to the second round at the European Championship. On Thursday night in Dortmund, Germany, 'Heavy Metal' comfortably swept aside Dutch legend Raymond van Barneveld 6-2.

Searle ran away with the first two legs and then took a 3-0 lead with a 15-darter. A 12-darter then made it 4-0. Van Barneveld then missed a dart on tops in the fifth leg, before Searle made it 5-0 with a 16-darter. From nowhere, 'Barney' then hit a 10-darter to make it 5-1 before backing it up with a 15-darter. Searle seized his chance in leg 8 though, and with a 13-darter he advanced to the second round at the 2024 European Championship.

"I just had to stay focused to get over the line. Sometimes when it's like that, if he makes it 5-3 and then he's throwing for 5-4, it can get a bit twitchy," assesses the Englishman in his post-match press conference. "I'm fairly happy with how I played. Backstage I was flying. When I was throwing backstage I thought: I'm going to play really well tonight. Obviously I averaged 101 I think, but honestly it felt like 91. It didn't feel like I played that well."

Having been on a steady rise over recent years, Searle is now one of the players seemingly poised to make the next step and begin challenging for TV titles. If the 37-year-old, former Players Championship Finals runner-up could get his hands on a major title, he would also surely put his name forward for Premier League Darts contention.

"I don't really have that drive to be in the Premier League and pick up major titles and stuff like that," Searle insists however, maintaining the fact that he's not one to search for the fame and renown elite level darts can bring. "I don't really like the limelight to be honest. I just sort of like going along in the background and sort of nicking a penny here and there."