David Munyua Makes History as First Kenyan to Win at World Darts Championship

David Munyua has etched his name into the annals of the World Darts Championship with a remarkable and dramatic first-round victory.

The unseeded Kenyan player staged an incredible comeback, overturning a 2-0 deficit to defeat the 18th seed, Mike De Decker, 3-2 in a thrilling encounter on Thursday. This victory marks the first time a Kenyan has ever won a match on the iconic Alexandra Palace stage.

Munyua's path to victory was anything but ordinary. He overcame two costly miscounts and even a bizarre mid-match encounter with a wasp that landed on his face.

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In a surprising twist, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) later confirmed that David Munyua had dispatched the insect and placed it in his pocket before continuing his stunning performance.

Adding to the legend of his debut, Munyua achieved this historic win using a set of budget-friendly darts borrowed from fellow player Cam Crabtree. Crabtree, who was eliminated in his own first-round match, expressed his astonishment on social media.

"David Munyua has done better than me with my own darts," Crabtree posted, acknowledging the Kenyan's impressive feat.

On his part, speaking to Sky Sports, David Munyua said: "It is amazing. I didn’t expect it. But now it has happened and I’m happy about it.

"I’m happy the miscount didn’t affect me. I came back and still got the momentum, was focused and concentrated. I’m just happy the game didn’t go foul. Thank you so much. Why not?!"

By advancing to the second round, David Munyua has guaranteed himself a minimum of £25,000 in prize money.

His journey to the tournament was a challenge in itself, as he had reportedly never left Africa before and had to appeal for sponsorship to cover his flight and accommodation costs for the London event.

The match itself was a high-quality affair. David Munyua, who only started playing darts three years ago, survived match darts from De Decker and, at one point, was six darts into a perfect nine-dart leg. De Decker also came close to perfection, hitting seven consecutive perfect darts before missing a crucial treble 19.

With this upset, De Decker becomes the fifth-seeded player to be knocked out in the opening round, joining the likes of Ross Smith and Dimitri Van den Bergh.

David Munyua, who qualified through the African Darts Group, will now face either Kevin Doets or Matthew Dennant in the next round.

A potential third-round clash with former World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall could await if he continues his giant-killing run.

Following his historic achievement, David Munyua is expected to receive a hero's welcome upon his return to Kenya, much like his compatriot Peter Wachiuri, who was celebrated after becoming the first African player to reach a Modus Super Series weekly final earlier this year.