"I may already be 55, but I still feel like I'm 21" - Weight-loss bringing positive benefits for Peter Wright as he advances into quarter-finals in German Darts Championship

Reigning champion Peter Wright is back in the quarter-finals of the German Darts Championship. The Scot prevailed 6-4 against compatriot Cameron Menzies in a hard-fought duel on Saturday evening - and thus remains on course to repeat his triumph from last year.

But Snakebite was not entirely satisfied with his performance. "I was very nervous, very shaky," admitted Wright after the match. "Cameron has won all his last matches against me - but that was also because I didn't play good darts back then. It wasn't really good today either, but it was decent in parts."

Wright's performance against Menzies wasn't brilliant, but it was solid. With plenty of experience and nerves of steel, the two-time world champion progressed to the last eight, where he will face Dirk van Duijvenbode tonight.

The tournament in Lower Saxony has long had a special significance for Wright. He celebrated his first triumph here back in 2017, followed by his second title in 2024. "Absolutely, it's always something special to come back here," said the 55-year-old. "Hildesheim is a special place for me anyway. I've made a lot of memories here - good games, great fans, a great atmosphere. This tournament is simply close to my heart."

Despite the defeat, Wright had warm words for his opponent and compatriot Cameron Menzies, who has repeatedly attracted attention with his strong performances in recent months.

"Cameron is very important for Scottish darts," said Wright. "We've got two old guys - I'm the oldest, Gary's 54 - so we need fresh guys to fill our shoes. Cammy is certainly one of those guys."

"I'm training better than ever before" Wright's physical changes have been noticeable in recent months: the Scot has lost a significant amount of weight - and even admitted that he lacked some strength on the oche at times as a result. "Yeah, to be honest, I've put a few of the pounds back on - I don't know why, that's just the way it goes sometimes," said Wright. "But I'm training better than I ever have at the moment. Even at my absolute peak, I wasn't training as well as I am at the moment. And I'm convinced that I haven't reached my peak in training yet. I may already be 55, but I still feel like I'm 21 in this body!"

The German Darts Championship will no longer be part of the European Tour next year - a fact that clearly bothered the Scotsman. "I'm absolutely determined to win the title this weekend," said Wright emphatically. "This morning I looked at my phone and saw a reminder from Google photos: 'Nine years ago today' - and it was pictures from Hildesheim. I just thought: Wow, nine years! It's amazing how long we've been doing this. Hildesheim is a wonderful city - and I really want to win the title here again."