WDF World Championship Lakeside Round-Up | 15-year-old sensation Mitchell Lawrie continues dream run as top seed Van Schie dethrones McGuirk
WDF
Shining light Mitchell Lawrie continued his incredible run at the 2025 WDF World Championship at the home of World Darts, Lakeside by seeing off Francois Schweyen to reach the semi-finals.
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Lawrie said afterwards about how Schweyen was obviously trying to play tactics in throwing slower but that he didn't particularly care too much and that showed as the 15-year-old ran through the gears in the end with some showpiece efforts at Lakeside.
'Wee Sox' defies Schweyen tactics
Lawrie opened up with a 111 checkout and while Schweyen stopped him momentarily, Lawrie still took the set with a 16-darter. He doubled his advantage taking the second set 3-0 with legs in 17, 15 and 15 darts.
Lawrie's main flourish amid a period not finding a treble was an incredible 124 checkout to lead 3-0 and move within a set of the last four. The final set was also Lawrie at his best hitting a 92 checkout to break and he held with a 14-darter 48 checkout to seal the win. Utterly superb from the youngster.
Van Schie dethrones McGuirk
He was joined in the semi-finals by the top seed Jimmy van Schie who was superb in taking down defending champion Shane McGuirk. He now faces Sybren Gijbels.
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Van Schie was utterly fantastic averaging 97.36 as it looks like he might finally make a good run of it at Lakeside after being the top player in the WDF system for a number of years and in the minds of many the top player outside the PDC. Albeit he has missed out on Ally Pally twice in the final round and also his Tour Card so could easily be in the PDC right now anyway.
McGuirk opened up with the lead and looked good for it as Van Schie struggled to get going. The Arrow was precise in easing into a 1-0 lead taking the first set 3-0 with a 96 average.
But Van Schie was back and he took an emphatic 127 checkout to break and lead the second set. He also took a 76 finish en route to a 3-1 set win to make it 1-1. Van Schie roared back into the tie taking the third set 3-2 to lead going into the break and McGuirk was soon staring down the barrel of defeat. Van Schie hit a 120 checkout en route to the set as he was flexing his muscle on the Lakeside stage.
McGuirk took out 113 but it was merely to hold and 74 with a fiercely thrown double 16 saw Van Schie go one away from the finishing line.
Van Schie missed a match dart at 101. He missed 114 but he finally hit double 10 to seal a 4-1 win and send the defending champion home.
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Rietbergen set to face O'Sullivan as boys champion dethroned
Eve Watson was seen as perhaps a surprise package this week at the Lakeside after two superb wins to start her week but she ran into the top seed Lerena Rietbergen who made light work of the Welshwoman.
Rietbergen took the opening set 3-2 pinning double 11 to move ahead and after Watson broke to start the second set, Rietbergen broke straight back with a 113 checkout before doubling her advantage taking a close second set 3-2.
The final set was a bit more straight forward with Rietbergen easing through albeit after a poor final leg where Watson certainly had her chances to break back but Rietbergen finally managed to take the win.
Next up for Rietbergen is another Welshwoman as Rhian O'Sullivan is into yet another Lakeside semi-final defeating Maria Carli 3-1 as the Canadian heads home.
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O'Sullivan recovered from dropping the first leg to take the set sealing it with a 76 checkout. She looked to be on her way to victory when she went 2-0 up in the race to three producing a 17-darter to take the second 3-1. But there was a sting in the tail as Carli wasn't done. She took the third set 3-1 with finishes of 72 and 82 en route.
But this fired up O'Sullivan who eased through the last set including a 16-darter to start and although it was 20+ darters from there to win, she took the scoring higher when it mattered the most and delivered the win
In addition Archie Self has been dethroned as boys World Champion with Florian Preis seeing him off in a high quality youth Quarter-Final which wouldn't have looked out of place in the men's event.
Preis won with an 87 average with Self losing with an 88.50 mark. Preis hit a 131 and double nine to start followed by a 72 checkout. A 180 and double 12 for a 14-darter saw Preis held in front. Self went two up in set two but Preis rebounded superbly with the German hitting a best of a 15-darter to win it and will now face Mason Teese tomorrow with the other tie seeing Mitchell Lawrie take on Kaya Baysal.
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