Darting for success: Normie Eckard sets his sights on World Darts Championships

From the bottom to the podium, Normie Eckard has gone from being a hopeful rugby player, who almost turned pro, to wearing the national colours of teh country in darts.

At 18, a young, passionate, aspiring rugby player woke up one day to find his Springboks dream shattered. A fatal motorcar accident left him paraplegic, ending his aspirations in what was — and still remains — South Africa’s most successful sport.

The door that closed on his childhood dream, however, opened a new path to endless opportunities. Needless to say, he needed immense inspiration to pick himself up and try again.

Now 46, Eckard has done everything but let life’s circumstances hold him back. He represented North West in wheelchair rugby at the 2017 SA Wheelchair Rugby Championship, winning a silver medal. He also competed in fishing for Gauteng North, representing them in five SA Championships between 2018 and 2024, winning bronze in 2019.

His biggest achievement, however, has been breaking through the system, representing his country on the international stage, and gaining recognition from the World Darts Federation.

Eckard – a native of Pretoria – will compete in a crucial South African darts championship tournament in September, facing the country’s best players. Up for grabs is direct qualification for the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship in Belgium.

Eckard had previously been invited to the World Masters 2022 in The Netherlands. He also made the World Cup team in Germany in 2023 and participated in the World Masters in England the same year. In 2024, he earned his national colours, representing Darts South Africa in the 2024 World Cup in The Netherlands as a Protea. And, whie speaking to Independent Media, he has made his intentions clear — he wants to add another milestone to his impressive career when the national tournament gets underway in a few months.

“If you want to be the best, you have to do more than the rest. The biggest prize for me is becoming the world champion, and I have come so close on two occasions,” Eckard said.

“If I manage to win the SA Championships, I will get an invitation to the Masters Championship in England. The Masters brings together champions from different countries, and we battle it out, with the winner crowned world champion.

“This year’s results will be crucial because if you get selected, you earn the opportunity to represent South Africa at the World Cup next year in Belgium.”

A passionate Springbok supporter, Eckard continues to find ways to remain competitive in the world of darts. He has also expressed his admiration for Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie, particularly for his efforts in promoting equality across all sporting codes.

One of the standout projects that had been on ice for many years is the potential return of Formula One to South Africa. With the growing optimism surrounding its revival, Eckard hopes that McKenzie will also turn his attention to darts and help the sport gain greater recognition.

“The sport of darts in South Africa is growing, but we still have a long way to go. If you look at the international scene, particularly with sponsorships, our biggest challenge in disabled darts is that everything comes out of our own pockets.

“Darts is a relatively inexpensive sport to start, but sponsorships are crucial for covering travel expenses so that we can consistently compete against the best in the world,” he concluded.