A passion born in a bar with a pro future

Although its exact origins are uncertain, what is known is that this discipline originated in England, spread to the United States, where it was promoted as a sport, and that the Costa del Sol was one of the first areas in Spain where it became popular. We are, of course, talking about darts - a sport with millions of players worldwide, mostly amateurs, with federations that regulate their licences, and whose professional game moves millions of euros every year.

In Malaga province, many players gather weekly to play leagues in different bars and entertainment clubs, but one, from Fuengirola, stands out above the rest.

His name is Jaime Núñez. He's just 24 years old and follows in, and seeks to improve upon, the footsteps of his father, who became the Spanish champion many times and even a world runner-up in Las Vegas.

Jaime was drawn to competition early on, watching his father play every day and compete against other players from around the world. His passion was such that when he was 13 years old, they set up a room with a dartboard at his parents' house so that he could practise. He spent hours and hours locked up in there. And the result was incredible.

At just 15, he became not only the Spanish champion; he was also the world champion and the best player in the tournament held in Las Vegas at that time. A child prodigy who, as he grew up, continued to win non-stop.

To this day, he has lost count of how many Andalusian and Spanish championships he has won, given that there are different disciplines: based on target brands (the most well-known being Phoenix and Radikal), based on dart types (plastic tip and steel tip), based on game formats (501 and cricket), and based on categories (individual, doubles or teams). That's why, given the numerous distinctions, different European, world and national competitions are held. That said, professional players only play with steel tips and in the 501 format, a modality in which the player starts the game with a score of 501 and must reduce that score to reach 0.

Although there are several leading countries in the sport, such as the Netherlands, Germany, France, or the United States, the UK takes the lead. In fact, it's the UK that usually organises the sport's biggest event: the professional World Championship, which awards the winner half a million pounds (about 580,000 euros). And just like in other sports such as golf or tennis, there's a world ranking (Order of Merit) where the accumulated earnings of the top players can be seen, with several of them currently surpassing one million this season.

"I'm going to try to take a risk. I believe I have the level and concentration necessary to make it. My dream is to become a pro."

That said, for now, he has to focus on his upcoming commitments. From 11 to 18 July, one of his major goals of the year begins: the Seoul World Championship, where he will compete in the plastic tip category and the cricket format, aiming to win his second global crown after the surprise victory he achieved at the age of 15. It would be a great achievement for him, and of course, although a much smaller amount, a medal would also bring him some financial reward.

Jaime is a strong contender for gold; in fact, he is the world leader in plastic tip darts in both cricket and 501, albeit with a different dartboard.