| Colin Osborne
The darts experts firmly believe that Colin Osborne has the
potential and the talent to be one of the sport's big-hitters
for years to come.
And after a meteoric start to his darts career, Osborne has
claimed his biggest victory so far, when he won a UK Open
Regional in January 2008, to add to his other PDC win -
the Sheppey Classic in 2006.
The multi-talented sportsman is ready to shake off the cobwebs
and turn the vast potential into big results.
At the 2008 World Championship, he was highly fancied but
became another statistic - a number of high profile
1st Round casualties, when he lost by 3 sets to 1 to Dutchman
Erwin Extercatte... and that despite hitting 10 180s
but Osborne couldn't buy a double.
If that was one of the low points of his young career, a
high followed soon after, when he won the UK Open North East
Regional - beating Denis Ovens in the final by 8 legs
to 6... it was revenge for Osborne's defeat at the hands
of 'The Heat' in the final of the Ireland Open
Classic Players Championship in September 2007
'The Wizard' has broken into the top 20 in the
world after just a couple of years and narrowly missed out
on his first 'Major' final in June 2007. After
a brilliant performance at the UK Open in Bolton, Osborne
lost a last leg decider in the semi-finals against Dutchman
Vincent van der Voort... something that still rankles
with him to this day and something he is determined to put
right.
"I was that close to a 'Major' final and
I blew it and I will put it right," Osborne vowed.
But he proved yet again that he has a massive future in the
sport - a fact not lost on Unicorn! The company moved
quickly to sign Osborne up after his brilliant debut in the
last ever World Championship at the Circus Tavern.
He is now an established star in his own right and many people
believe that Colin Osborne will win the big tournaments over
the next few years - not bad for a Teeside lad, who
had his sights set on a career as a professional footballer!
He played for Middlesboro' Boys but that wasn't
the only string to his bow. Osborne was an England Table Tennis
Champion, a British yo-yo champion and is a great golfer,
as well as being a handy snooker player!
"I guess I have good hand-to-eye co-ordination,"
he said. "I enjoy all sports but now all my efforts
and energies go into darts and to be part of Team Unicorn
is another step, which will hopefully take me to where I want
to be."
Osborne has already achieved two targets in a short space
of time - breaking into the top 32 in the PDC and now
the top 20. His next goal is the world's top ten and
he is on course to do that in record time.
Would you believe that he had to be persuaded to enter his
first big tournament... PDC marker Scott Giblin told
Osborne he had nothing to lose, so he entered the UK Open
South West Regional in Portsmouth.
"It was an unbelievable experience," he said.
"I beat Peter Manley, Kevin Painter, Ronnie Baxter and
Barrie Bates, before losing in the quarter-finals to Andy
Jenkins - but it gave me the taste and I haven't
looked back."
His performance earned Osborne a trip to Bolton for the 2005
UK Open Finals and he got all the way to the quarter-finals,
eventually losing to Roland Scholten but his performance at
the Reebok was the shape of things to come.
The sport of darts is in the blood. Osborne explained: "My
mum and dad both played county darts for Cleveland, so there
was always a dart board in the house. I never really thought
of taking it seriously but here I am and I just want to succeed."
Osborne shot to prominence again in 2006 by hitting two perfect
9-dart legs in competition - on the Isle of Wight and
at Hayling Island. During the year, he reached four tour semi-finals,
including the Irish Masters and the Bobby Bourne Memorial
in Blackpool. He was runner-up at the Open Holland to Michael
Van Gerwen and in June 2006, he won his first event -
beating Alex Roy to claim the Sheppey Classic.
He should have qualified for the 2006 World Matchplay. In
his final qualifier, Osborne missed two darts at double top
against Steve Beaton but lost a last leg decider... but
all the signs were there.
Then came the 2007 World Championship. Osborne qualified
and enjoyed a rollercoaster ride all the way to the quarter-finals.
He beat Unicorn's Kevin Painter and Wes Newton, then
Roland Scholten. He lost his quarter-final to Andy Jenkins
by 5 sets to 4 and will still be kicking himself for missing
chances to go 4-1 up!
In 2007, Osborne has also reached the semi-finals of the
Stan James Players Championship in Gibraltar and the UK Open
North West Regional in Manchester.
Now living in Derby, the 32-year-old is married to Sarah
and they have two young children - Colin and Alfie.
If you are waiting for Colin Osborne to win the big titles,
you shouldn't have to wait too long!
Read Colin's
Achievements Here
Back to Contenders
 |
