Raymond van Barneveld Hits Nine-Darter in World Darts Championship

Like most Americans, I think of darts as a way to kill time at a bar, not a serious sport. But I must admit, this is an impressive athletic accomplishment:

That was Raymond van Barneveld of The Netherlands with a nine-dart finish (which is, I'm told, the equivalent of a pitcher throwing a perfect game in baseball) at the World Darts Championship.

How significant is that? Here's what the BBC has to say:

Raymond van Barneveld completed the first ever nine-dart finish in the PDC World Championship to crush Jelle Klaasen 5-1 and reach the last four.

The five-time world champion was in imperious form as he achieved the feat in the second leg of the sixth set and sealed victory with a 161 checkout....

"I was full of confidence despite losing the first set," he said afterwards. "I was getting in my own zone and I was so focused on that treble 20 all the time.

"To have a nine-darter in the World Championship is massive. I am very proud to become the first one to do it in this World Championship."

Here's to you, Raymond van Barneveld.