Luke Humphries thanks darts star for helping change his life | Other | Sport

Luke Humphries has paid tribute to Paul Lim and thanked him for his impact on his weight loss journey ahead of their reunion in the second round of the PDC World Darts Championship. The pair faced off back in 2020, with the veteran Lim walking out as the winner.

Plenty has happened in the time since, with Humphries going on to become the champion of the world, as well as the world number one in the rankings. Meanwhile, Lim is still showing his class at 71, having broken his own record as the oldest player to win a match at the Worlds by eliminating Jeffrey de Graaf in this year’s first round.

With a clash now set up between the two in the second round, the former world champion was asked whether there was a sense of revenge about the tie. He said: “There’s no revenge in darts. If anything, I’m thankful to Paul for winning that game back then because it changed me as a player and as a person.

“Three months later I lost about four stone, so in a way it helped my career. I’m a big fan of Paul and he’s a big fan of me too, but of course it’s business in the next game.”

Humphries has been vocal about his weight loss in the past, having transformed his life, revealing it all in early 2021. Having transformed his own health, the 30-year-old has also turned his fortunes around at the oche, with quite the impressive career following.

Lim now stands in the way of him taking the next step in his goal of reclaiming the World Darts Championship, a player he has given plenty of praise to. “He’s a warrior,” Humphries said. “He loves darts, loves travelling and loves playing. I don’t think we’ll ever see another over-70-year-old as good as Paul Lim. It’s incredible.”

For Lim, it’s a tough challenge ahead of him to get past the second round, but it’s one that could create another memorable tie. Having faced one of the two Lukes at the top of the game, it’s an opportunity to make a mark and write another chapter in his legendary career.

The 71-year-old has been viewed as an awkward tie for anyone to face, with Luke Littler revealing that he didn’t want to face him. Lim was left baffled by that claim, speaking after his win over De Graaf, when he said: “I thought it was a joke!

“A friend from Liverpool sent it to me, and I thought it was just a gimmick. When I realised he actually said it, I thought he must be out of his mind! But honestly, I take it as a compliment. Maybe he feels the crowd will be behind me, and tonight they were.”

It remains to be seen which side the Ally Pally crowd will take when Lim faces off with Humphries in the second round. However, he has given plenty of credit to his upcoming opponent.

“It’s a big difference,” the veteran said when reflecting on the last time the two met at the Worlds. “Luke is very dedicated. I even noticed recently that he’s made small changes to his game. When a player of that calibre is still making adjustments to get better, that tells you everything.”