Vladyslav Omelchenko hopes his historic appearance at the Cazoo World Darts Championship will inspire a new generation of Ukrainian talent over the coming years.
Omelchenko wrote his name into the record books at Alexandra Palace on Sunday, becoming the first player from Ukraine to compete in the sport’s flagship tournament.
The PDC introduced a Ukrainian Qualifier in October with the EADC circuit suspended, and Omelchenko came through the landmark two-day event in Kyiv to seal his qualification.
The 47-year-old received a huge ovation from the packed crowd on his walk-on, and he produced a spirited display, despite succumbing to Luke Woodhouse in straight sets.
Omelchenko averaged just over 80, landed a maximum and converted a spectacular 143 checkout on his big stage bow, only for Woodhouse to land three ton-plus finishes en route to victory.
“I am super emotional,” said Omelchenko, speaking via an interpreter post-match.
“It was really hard for me to adapt in the beginning, because it’s the first time I have played internationally on such a huge stage, with such a huge audience.
“It was really hard for me in the first set to get into the game, but it got easier and by the second set I felt more comfortable.
“I am still not sure how I ended up with that 143 finish and the 180 – I am still surprised about it because I was only thinking about the game and how to get the best result.
“That is probably why I didn’t notice all the support from the audience, but I am very pleased by it.”
Omelchenko was roared on by a number of his supporters in the capital, and after claiming three legs on debut, he hopes his exploits can inspire a new wave of players in his homeland.
“This is definitely going to give a boost to darts in Ukraine,” insisted Omelchenko, a coal miner from Krivoy Rog.
“Darts was quite popular in Ukraine before the war, but because of that, a lot of people leave.
“Two weeks ago we also held the Ukrainian Darts Championship, but there were barely any people there because most people have left the country.
“In the future, when we have a free Ukraine again, this is going to give a huge boost for the darts and I’m hoping it is going to be even more popular than it was before.”
Woodhouse also paid tribute to the Ukrainian trailblazer post-match, after producing a clinical display to set up a second round showdown against top seed Gerwyn Price.
“For him to come over here after what he’s been through – I have heard reports that he’s been practising and he’s had no electricity,” said Woodhouse, who took out 107, 108 and 119 finishes to progress.
“I pay homage to him – to come over here and play in this World Championship, it is absolutely brilliant.
“It was quite tough, but obviously not as tough as what his country are going through.”