19 Dec 2025
David Munyua combines care for animals with precision on the oche and caused a huge upset at the sport’s biggest event.
Allister Webb
Job Title
A Kenyan vet has caused a sensation by swapping his clinical practice for a debut victory at the World Darts Championship.
David Munyua had already made history by becoming the first player from his nation to qualify for the Professional Darts Corporation tournament at London’s Alexandra Palace.
But the 30-year-old’s stunning victory over former major champion Mike De Decker yesterday, 18 December, made him an overnight sporting star and even saw him congratulated by the Kenyan president on social media.
Dr Munyua described the experience, which saw him fight back from two sets down to win as “amazing” match before explaining the challenges of his double professional life.
He told PA Media: “Being a veterinarian in my country and also a darts player, there’s so many challenges you need to face to combine the both.
“I have a passion in veterinary and treating animals, I also have a passion in growing sports in our area.
“During the day I’m dealing with my animals, but at the night I’m playing darts.
“I’m on call a lot of the time, so I can be throwing darts and then get a call.”
He also revealed he had wanted to keep the famous Alexandra Palace wasp which landed on his face at one stage of the match and has already disturbed several other players in the championship so far.
Dr Munyua, who hails from the town of Murang’a around 85 kilometres north-east of the capital Nairobi, only took up darts three years ago and needed the help of sponsors in order to play at the tournament and travel outside Africa for the first time, the Kenya Times reported.
He is due to return to the oche on Monday when he will face the Netherlands’ Kevin Doets for a place in the third round of the tournament, which concludes on 3 January.
