PAUL LIM’s fairytale run at Lakeside was ended in the final of the WDF World Darts Championship by Irishman Shane McGuirk.
The Singapore Slinger, 70, was aiming to become the oldest world champion in the history of the sport following a sensational week in Frimley Green.
Paul Lim’s fairytale run at Lakeside is over
70-year-old Lim was beaten Shane McGuirk
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But despite a late flourish, veteran Lim was beaten 6-3 this evening by a player 41 years his junior on the world-famous oche.
Unseeded McGuirk, 29, who is known as the Arrow, lifted a maiden title and collected £50,000 by conceding just three out of 26 sets across six games.
Overall, it was one of the most dominant displays ever witnessed at a world champ.
But he missed out on becoming the first man, across the BDO, PDC or WDF organisations, to become world champion without dropping a set.
Eric Bristow (1984 BDO), John Part (1994 BDO) and Phil Taylor (2001 PDC) reached the pinnacle by conceding just one set in their respective runs.
Lim – who wears glasses and has a deliberate, slow throwing motion – had chances to take the opening set but wasted those darts.
McGuirk threatened to turn this into a whitewash but the mostly pro-Lim crowd had something to cheer about as their hero claimed sets five, seven and eight to make it 5-3.
A scenario looked possible where Lim might fight back and draw level at 5-5 and certainly he did not disgrace himself with some 180s but McGuirk put aside any nerves to close out the contest.
A former world soft tip champion – who is 53 years older than teen sensation Luke Littler – Lim turned professional in 1973 and appeared in the first round of the PDC World Darts Championship only three years ago.
At the Lakeside venue in January 1990, the year Phil Taylor won his first of 16 world crowns, the Asian tungsten superstar hit the first nine-dart finish at world level.
For that he received a £52,000 cash bonus, which was almost double what The Power got as the champion.
This was the third version of the WDF worlds, which took the slot vacated when the BDO went defunct in 2020.
Those involved in the event are not allowed to compete at the PDC Worlds, which begin at Alexandra Palace on Sunday.
Beau Greaves became women’s world champion for the third consecutive time with a 4-1 win over Scotland’s Sophie McKinlay, averaging 83.92 in the final.
After defeating Lim, McGuirk said: “Oh my God, I don’t know what happened there. I couldn’t be more relieved to hit top to win that.
“He put me under pressure and couldn’t stop hitting the 19s. I had to tell myself that I had the lead and eventually it would come.
Lakeside favourite Lim was aiming to become the oldest ever darts world champion
“After the last break, I thought I had to come out swinging and get it done. I had never been in this situation before. The first set was very nervy and I got away with it.”
Lim said: “I want to thank the crowd, the people that have been here were amazing. I was down but never give up. I always say, never give up,
“That is what you do in life. I will be here next year.”