Professional darts star Scott Williams has issued a stark warning to his followers after a painful encounter with curling left him with multiple sore spots, including an intimate injury. The world number 44 darts player, known by his nickname Shaggy, described the winter Olympic sport as "the most ridiculous" and "most painful" experience of his athletic career.
Painful Crossover Between Darts and Curling
While in Zurich, Switzerland for an exhibition event with fellow professionals Ricky Evans and Swiss star Stefan Bellmont, Williams decided to try his hand at curling. The timing coincided with the Winter Olympics taking place in nearby Milan, making the popular ice sport particularly topical. However, the crossover between precision darts throwing and the physical demands of curling proved disastrous for the six-foot-four athlete.
"Do Not Curl" Warning
In a TikTok video that has since gained attention, Williams delivered an emphatic warning to anyone considering trying the sport. "As a large human being — a six-foot-four, without-the-heels-on human being — do not do it," Williams stated clearly. "Do not curl. Do not do curling. Do not get stones. Don't even think about it because it is the most ridiculous sport."
The 36-year-old darts professional elaborated on his painful experience, revealing that multiple parts of his body suffered from the unfamiliar physical activity. "My legs hurt, my neck hurts, my penis hurts — that's probably because I caught it in the zipper," Williams explained, though he added that the zipper incident was "a different story."
Return to Darts Competition
Despite his painful curling misadventure, Williams has continued his professional darts career with mixed results. Earlier this week, he won his opening games at Players Championships 1 and 2 but was eliminated in the second round of both events. The Welsh player will return to competition in Wigan for Players Championships 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday.
Williams remains best known for his shock victory at a 2022 Players Championship event in Niedernhausen, where he became just the third player ever to win such a tournament without holding a tour card. His performance last season, which included one final and four semi-finals in floor events, demonstrates that he remains competitive at the highest level of professional darts.
Different Skill Sets
The incident highlights the vastly different physical demands between precision sports like darts and physically intensive winter sports like curling. While both require focus and technique, Williams' experience suggests that the skills do not translate easily between the two disciplines. His warning serves as a cautionary tale for athletes considering crossover between seemingly unrelated sports.
Williams concluded his warning with a final piece of advice for anyone tempted to try curling: "It's the most painful sport I have ever experienced in my life and I don't wish it upon anyone." The darts star's painful experience in Switzerland will likely make him think twice before experimenting with other Olympic sports in the future.
