‘I refereed in darts-mad Mongolia and noticed an 11-year-old hit 171’
Darts is sweeping every corner of the world – just ask legendary referee Russ Bray.
The globe-trotting official, who is affectionately known as ‘The Voice’ of darts, has been busier than ever since stepping down from front-line PDC events after calling the 2024 World Championship final between Luke Humphries and Luke Littler. He still referees matches in the World Series and on the Asian Tour and serves as a PDC ambassador.
Bray’s role involves regular trips to far-flung corners of the world, especially Asia, where the sport is booming. The travel-loving official is particularly excited by the talent emerging from the Philippines and Japan, both of which fielded teams in the World Cup of Darts in Germany.
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Even smaller nations are catching the darting bug, including Mongolia, which Bray has already visited this year. Despite its modest population the country wedged between Russia and China has a big appetite for the arrows, as Bray has witnessed first-hand.
“The first time I went out, I’d been invited to call at a tournament,” he told the Mirror. “Mongolia has a population of three-and-half-million people, that is it. When I got out to this tournament, there were 600 players. That’s kids, young boys, girls, women, men.
“The first score I ever called there live on their TV, because they covered it all day was 171 from a kid of 11. He went treble 19, treble 19, treble 19. That was his opening throw!
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(Image: Shane Healey/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock)
“So getting the Asian Tour out in Mongolia was an absolute treat. I’ve now been there three times and the welcome they give you, the way they organise things, is absolutely sensational.
“They’ve done well in the JDC [Junior Darts Corporation] World Cup. They’re not in the [PDC] World Cup yet, but watch this space, they’re getting better. “
Aside from a return to Mongolia, he has officiated World Series matches in Bahrain and New York this year, as well as Asian Tour games in the Philippines. He is currently in Frankfurt at the World Cup on PR duty. Bray is then due to head off to India and Thailand next for more Asian Tour action before jetting to Australia and New Zealand for World Series tournaments.
“I’m busier now than I’ve ever been, but I love it,” he said. “I haven’t got one word of complaint. I love travelling so I’m very lucky that I get to do that. A big thank you to the PDC for keeping me involved with his ambassadorial role.”
