Gerwyn Price joked: “I hope 500K feels this heavy” as he struggled to hold aloft the World Darts Championship trophy moments after also becoming world number one. It’s been a long journey to the game’s summit for the Welshman whose darts career took off after he gave up on his dream of playing rugby for Wales. Tonight, that trek reached its destination as Price beat Gary Anderson 7-3 to claim his first title, the £500,000 first prize and end Michael van Gerwen’s reign at the top of the sport’s rankings.

Gerwyn Price became the first Welshman to be crowned William Hill PDC World Darts Champion after a nerve-tingling 7-3 victory over Gary Anderson. The Markham ace missed 11 darts at the title before landing a D5 that saw him also go to No 1 in the Order of Merit for the first time.

Gerwyn Price will bid to become the first Welshman to win the William Hill PDC World Darts Championship on Sunday. The Markham marksman came from 3-1 and 4-3 down in sets to beat Stephen Bunting 6-4 at London’s Alexandra Palace.

Welsh cycling prospect Zoe Backstedt notched up another hugely impressive display at the Troyes Cyclocross International in France. The 16-year-old finished fifth in the elite women’s race – even though she is still in her first year in the junior women’s ranks.

Gerwyn Price won a last leg decider to book his semi-final spot at the Williams Hill World Darts Championships. The Markham marksman beat Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney 5-4 in a thriller at London’s Alexandra Palace.

If sport is often about teamwork and the ability to think on your feet, then 2020 will probably go down as the year Welsh sport was tested as never before. Who would have imagined back on January 1 last year, we would be ending the year with online Zoom meetings and webinars as standard methods of communication between governing bodies and their members? Or that swimmers would be training on dry land? Or runners and cyclists would be competing against the clock in virtual races, rather than against each other?

Gareth Bennett, coach of Division 1 West Whitland RFC, remains optimistic the community game will return stronger in 2021, despite the club potentially not having played a competitive game for 18 months if their next rugby is the start of the 2021/22 season. He tells Jon Twigg why he remains upbeat about the club’s future. “From playing in early March and consolidating our return to Division 1 West, to having no contact with players or game time which curtailed the league, it was tough to take,” admits Gareth Bennett when asked to sum up the impact of the pandemic on a grass roots Welsh rugby club. “It would have been an interesting end to the season as we had just found some form which had lifted us to fourth place in the league and we had more home games, against sides around us, than trips away; our home form had been a strength.”

Gerwyn Price is still on course to be crowned William Hill World Darts Champion and take over as world No 1. The Markham ace beat Mervyn King 4-1 on Wednesday at London’s Alexandra Palace to reach the last eight.

Former Cardiff Devils netminder Ben Bowns says he is on the journey back to the ice – just don’t ask him when it will be finished. The GB ace suffered serious knee ligament damage in early October just three games into his new career with top Austrian side Graz 99ers.

Gerwyn Price reckons the William Hill World Darts Championship crown is there for the taking by any of the last 16 hopefuls. The Markham ace booked his place in the last 16 against Mervyn King on Wednesday night after another last set decider.

Gerwyn Price kept his dream of being crowned World Champion alive with a nail-biting 4-3 victory over Brendan Dolan to reach the last 16. The Markham ace was taken to a deciding leg in the final set by the Northern Irishman at London’s Alexandra Palace before sealing a thrilling win with a 72 checkout.

Welsh boxing has a real fight on its hands as we enter 2021, with no fights and little training activity being allowable under the current restrictions. A helping hand, therefore, is very welcome which is why columnist Fraser Watson is keen to lift the glove of Anthony Joshua and declare him a true champion when it comes to looking after his own sport. In the sport of boxing, actions should speak louder than words. It’s a notion that’s often easy to forget; Connor McGregor blagging his way day into a multi-million dollar fight, Logan Paul and KSI going viral, Mike Tyson and Roy Jones junior being dragged out of the doldrums – all enough to render futile the notion that a lifetime of dedication is needed to reach the top.

Jonny Clayton suffered last leg agony to miss out on a place in the last 16 of the World Darts Championship. The Pontyberem thrower fought back from 2-0 down to led 3-2 in the best of seven sets third round battle with Joe Cullen.

Gerwyn Price is targeting being crowned World Champion on January 3 – and taking the spot as world No 1. The Markham marksman is in a three-man battle with Dutchman Michael van PGerwen and reigning Alexandra Palace champ Peter wright for that spot at the top of the PDC Order of Merit.

Josh Griffiths and Melissa Courtney-Bryant led the way at the 2020 Welsh Athletics awards by picking up the senior athlete of the year titles. In what has been an unusual year for the sport, the annual awards had a suitably unfamiliar feel. Instead of the usual glitzy ceremony, the awards were announced on-line by Welsh Athletics.

The nation is on the look-out for a new chef. The Commonwealth Games is less than two years’ away and Team Wales require a Chef de Mission to oversee events in Birmingham. Graham Thomas talks to those who know what it takes when things get hot in the kitchen. WANTED: Head Chef. Must be talented, creative, cool under high pressure, and capable of getting the very best out of his or her raw materials. The job advert is out and now Commonwealth Games Wales are searching for a new Chef de Mission for Birmingham 2022.

Welsh Athletics chief executive James Williams has spoken for the first time about distance star Jake Smith’s decision to switch international allegiance to England – just weeks after becoming eligible to run for Wales. Bermuda-born Smith successfully applied for Welsh eligibility in October having lived in  Cardiff for more than three-years – satisfying residency qualification requirements. But six-weeks after breaking athletics legend Steve Jones’ Welsh half marathon record, Smith had a change of heart and has decided to run in future for England – the country of his parents’ birth.

Gerwyn Price was taken to a deciding set before winning a thrilling all-Wales battle with Jamie Lewis at the World Darts Championship. The Markham darter triumphed 3-2 over Carmarthen’s Lewis in their second round clash.

Jonny Clayton is the first Welshman into the last 32 of the William Hill World Darts Championship. The Pontyberem thrower fended off a comeback from John Henderson to win their second round match 3-1 at London’s Alexandra Palace.

Nick Kenny won six legs in a row to make a stunning William Hill World Darts Championship debut at London’s Alexandra Palace. The 27-year-old from Cwmbran came from 2-1 down in sets to win 3-2 against Dutch darter Derk Telnekes.