Labanauskas, who is seeking to return to the world’s darts rating

The competition was attended by a record number of participants: 171 men and 39 women, and a lot of players, fifteen players, also registered for the youth match. Thirteen athletes from Garliava, Raudondvaris, Ežerėlis, Ramučiai, Academy and Noreikiškės representative. Among them is Darius Labanauskas, the most famous darts representative in Lithuania. The player from Garliava is a regular participant of the World Dart Dart Championship, World and European Darts Cup, 2024. He became the winner of Latvia Open and Kaunas Open.

It is gratifying that new darts stars are lighter in the pack. Milda Zdanauskaitė, the winner and prize winner of the international and national darts competition in Užliedžiai eldership, is a lot of hope, and seventeen -year -old Mykolas Kapustas, a seventeen -year -old living in Ramučiai, raises herself.

The Plosts of Kaunas Day

D. Labanauskas confessed to being a football player in his childhood. However, in his words, it started to focus on it too late, and there was no opportunity to attend football school. When he was growing up, he bought a target with his wife’s brother and helped to throw. Because both were successful, Darius wanted to be superior. The target was with him, so he started training more.

“In 2003, we found an announcement at Kaunas Day that the competition would be held. We participated in them, I really liked the game, I started training. I am happy and proud that I am the best player in Kaunas district. Now that I am playing abroad, if information is written or published, I make not only Lithuania, Kaunas district, but also Garliava, and I am often the only Lithuanian in tournaments, ”stressed the interviewer.

Darius’ first victory – the European and World Dart Championship Cups, the victorious international tournaments in the Lithuanian national team, this year, three professional Darts Corporation (PDC) tours and two selections for PDC European tour were won this year.

« The most important thing is that each year is a selection to become a professional. There are only 128 darts professionals in the world. During the first four days of the 2019 selection, I just had to win the last tournament for enough points, and I managed to get a professional license for five years. The lower places fall out of the league, and the license is re -secured in the selection.

Returning to the league of the darts professionals is currently the main desire and aspiration of Garliaviškis. « Now I am the first after ten rounds. If I can survive in 1-2 places after 24 rounds, I would get a professional license for two years and I would not need the selection, » said the athlete.

Four years ago, D. Labanauskas conducted an hour -long darts circle twice a week in Garliava, but the Kaunas district club did not develop the nucleus. « The darts are simple while you play amateur, in your spare time. If you choose it as a sport and seek victories, it becomes difficult: you have to train a lot, go to the competition, expect success, try many times.

Asked what the qualities he thought were necessary for the sport, Garliaviškis did not consider a second: « Self -renunciation would not be premature. » Does Darius have a mantra, a ritual, a mascot that helps to fix it? « I don’t. I don’t want to associate with someone, I would have to blame the mantra or mascot in the event of failure, » he said.

I checked a little provocative: « You’re not one of those who are not inculcated before the competition? » « I change the beard with a shave and socks, » the athlete smiled.

D. Labanauskas was pleased with the young generation of darts. « If they are determined to go to the competition abroad, it will be a lot of fun. The shift is growing, I hope that in the future, there will be someone to talk to in Lithuanian in the future, » the interviewer hoped.

Objective: To return to the league of the darts professionals – the main pursuit of D. Labanauskas. / Photo by D. Labanauskas Personal Archive

History in a career

Milda Zdanauskaitė, winner and prize winner of the international and national darts competition, is home to the Užliedžiai eldership. She came to this sport relatively early. « When I was nine, my mom gave my dad’s birthday a darts board. Dad really liked the gift, so I started training every night. I came to see what he was doing, and that was very interested in me. We started playing every night.

The girl has been playing darts for eight years, and the most important achievement is that she has become the absolute Lithuanian champion in Lithuania. It was 2021. In December, when the girl won first places in women’s personal, paired, team matches and among the youth.

Now, a promising career in the athlete is the chill. From during intense workouts in 2022 The girl was struck by inflammation of the back nerves, and after that, it was relatively difficult to return to the usual training and workout. « I was training too much again, there was a lack of warm -up, so the muscle of the hand ruptured. Now the situation is almost corrected, but it is difficult to return to the previous rhythm, » the interviewer said of the failures.

Milda is currently training in person, about two hours daily, occasionally three. She used to spend six hours to improve your favorite game. Also, every Wednesday, the girl goes to her sports club to mention arrows with team members.

According to the young darts player, this sport must first be strong psychologically. « Darts are not just a sport of accuracy. You play not only against another athlete, but also against yourself. You need to concentrate very psychologically, otherwise you will not miss. This is a psychological struggle with yourself. In my opinion, 70 % of the game’s success consists of player psychological preparation, ability to deal with tension, » she said.

Milda is most helpful in dealing with tensions with their dad. He calms his daughter, sets up, prepares for the fight. « I have always been comfortable when he watches how I play. I know that Dad supports me, so it is easier for me to concentrate. I am determined to enjoy the game, that the result is not the most important, » Zdanauskaitė admitted.

The interlocutor did not hide that he wanted to achieve the best results, hitting the best possible, winning something in Lithuania. « However, I have to regain shape so far.

The most important is the passion for sports

The seventeen -year -old Mykolas Kapustas, who lives in Ramučiai, who represents Kaunas club « Smagininis LT », started playing only last year, but is already called one of the most promising players in Lithuania. True, his path to this sport was winding. « It all started with being a very active kid. I was playing football since childhood, and when nine, I wanted to change something. Mom offered to go to a combat art training, I tried, engaged and really liked it. But a year ago I discovered a darts, helped me not only at sports but also psychological, exterior. »

By the way, Michael has not abandoned the martial arts, so far he is exercising, only to do so in free regime to maintain a healthy physical condition. This sport for him is like a hobby.

Passion for sport, however paradoxical sounds, is the main thing you need when playing darts.

The darts appeared in the life of a guy unexpectedly. « It happened in a dad’s friend’s garage, completely by accident, but from the first darts of the arrow, I really liked the darts and the next day I had bought a target for training. After a year – I was the winner of the Lithuanian Smmer Youth Championship, » said M. Kapustas.

The biggest achievement of Michael is the third place in the Lithuanian Darts Championship in Šiauliai in early November in Šiauliai. This time he became a youth group champion.

« The championship lasted three days, but on the second day the main personal tournament (men and youth) took place. On that day I took third place, I fell in the semi -finals before the first ranked Lithuanian player Mindaugas Barauskas, but I was very pleased with my result because I fought to the last and lost only through a decisive leg. I had a winner in the duel in the men’s match and won the winner.

When asked what qualities a person who chooses this sport should have, the guy was surprised: « Passion for sport, no matter how paradoxical sounds, is the main thing you need to play with darts. Only later – physical things, such as body balance, rhythm, humility.

M. Kapustas did not hide: the training was initially really long, about 4-5 hours a day. « Only half a year later I discovered a balance and now training from 1-3 hours a day. In the beginning my workout was in the garage, and after a few months I started attending Arena Billides official rankings and club training at the Smigini LT club. Half a year later, I transferred darts from the garage to my room, ”the guy smiled.

Michael, one of the most promising players in Lithuania, admitted to not only fantasizing but also fantasies to change fantasies to reality. “I have set a big goal of becoming a PDC Tour Card Holder and winning many tournaments. I know: to achieve highs in Lithuania, a lot of hard work is waiting. I would like to be a multiple winner of the tournament and the first Lithuanian darts ranking in Lithuania, ”the young man shared his ambitious plans.