“I noticed Peter Wright hitting scores like 26 and 25, and I thought, wow, it is possible for me to improve” – Ugandan World Cup debutant Juma Said explains his pathway into darts

The rise of Uganda on the international darts stage will reach a special new chapter this summer when the country makes its debut at the World Cup of Darts. With Juma Said and Patrick Ocheng as representatives, curiosity is growing about the story behind this relatively new darts nation. In the Weekly Dartscast, Said offered an open and candid insight into his remarkable—and notably late—entry into the sport.

While many top players begin throwing darts at a young age, Said only started at the age of 31. His first introduction to the sport came at an unexpected moment. “I was probably around 31 years old,” Said explains. "When COVID came, we were on leave, and someone brought a darts board, which was new to me, along with some darts.”

What began as simple curiosity quickly turned into a passion. “I asked him how the game was played, and he started showing me—how to throw, how it works. He told me I could catch up in just one week. That’s where I started.”

Like many beginners, Said soon began watching the sport’s biggest names. Through videos, he was introduced to top players from the United Kingdom, including Peter Wright and Phil Taylor. “At that time, when I saw people hitting nine-dart finishes, I was still throwing 40 darts. I asked myself, will I ever catch up with these guys?” he says with a laugh. “I asked myself, will I ever catch up with these guys? Or are they using something like electric darts? How are they so good?”

Yet it was precisely that sense of amazement that motivated him. One specific moment stayed with him: “I noticed Peter Wright hitting scores like 26 and 25, and I thought, wow, it is possible for me to improve and reach that level.”

After the lockdown, Said took his first steps in organised darts. “After COVID, someone introduced me to a club where I started playing more seriously. That was in 2022, when I began playing competitively with clubs.”

His development was rapid. Within just three years, he grew into a player who considers himself professional. “It took me about three years to become a professional-level player,” he explains. “After reaching that level, I felt like I could also start training other players, especially younger ones."

What makes Said particularly notable is not just his own progress, but also his role in developing new players in Uganda. He draws inspiration from young European talents such as Luke Littler and Gian van Veen.

“I saw how young players there were already competing at a high level. That motivated me to start training young players myself,” Said says. “I started working with young players myself, training them.” His ambition goes beyond personal success. Said wants to contribute to the growth of darts in his country. “Now, some of them are improving and becoming like me.”

With Uganda’s participation in the World Cup of Darts, the country stands on the brink of a historic moment. For Said, it is the culmination of a journey that only began a few years ago, but has developed in an impressively short time.