LONDON -- David Munyua has described his run to the second round of the World Darts Championship as "life-changing" and expressed his desire for his historic first-round victory to transform perceptions of the sport across Africa.
Munyua, who has taken a break from his job as a veterinarian in Kenya to play at Alexandra Palace, shocked the darting world by defeating 18th seed Mike De Decker in the opening round.
Despite the Ally Pally crowd backing him to the hilt, there was little of the first-round magic on offer from the 30-year-old on Monday as he fell 3-0 to world No. 38 Kevin Doets.
Munyua is the first Kenyan to play in the world championship. He booked his spot in north London after winning the African Darts Group Championship qualifier. Munyua's progress to the second round earned him £25,000 in prize money. The tournament in north London gave the 30-year-old the opportunity to travel outside Africa for the first time in his life.
"This is a life changing moment for myself and for my friends and for darts players across Africa," Munyua said in a heartfelt news conference just a few minutes after losing to Doets.
"As much as I've done it this far, they feel like there's no reason why they cannot do it for themselves. So I think this is the moment where I need to appreciate the fact that Africa needs to embrace darts as a sport, where they need to put their funds into it, support, talent into it. And it will be a life changing moment and I'm happy about it."
Munyua's first-round triumph prompted the President of Kenya, William Samoei Ruto, to congratulate him on his sensational victory. Kenya's Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Joseph Warui, was present to watch Munyua's second round match on Monday.
The 30-year-old said he was appreciative of the support and called for more recognition and funding for darts in Kenya and the rest of Africa.
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"I'm so encouraged with that and I'm sure that that sport in Kenya is going to be different," he said.
"We are going to get the support that we have always wanted. There will be a different perspective about that. The sport can be a professional sport, can be embraced. Being in darts should be a professional sport. We need to teach our generation that darts is for anyone."
Munyua reiterated his hopes for having transformed the perception of darts across Africa.
"Darts in Africa has not been recognised like a sport," he said. "In a professional level, nobody would want to make more in darts because it does not bring something out of it.
"I think if we grow the sport to a level that everybody want to be part of it, it doesn't matter the professionalism they are -- they're doctors, they're lawyers -- we don't feel ashamed to be part of that. That's what I believe would really matter to me. We have done a lot. We have sacrificed a lot. Myself with my professionalism, has sacrificed a lot."
Munyua, the sole African player at this year's tournament, also called upon the PDC to increase the number of African qualifiers and bring events to the continent to boost publicity and participation levels.
"We have so many countries, Africa. And I've always believed that sport is embraced. We don't have much we can help to Africa like a sport can. There's nothing that can unite Africa better than sport. Sport is the only activity that can join us," he said.
"I'm sure everybody is celebrating David Munyua across Africa. Just guess if we had like 10 slots, I guess the energy that we brought to Ally Pally would be different. If we have different slots in different regions -- Northern Africa, Southern region, Western region -- I think we would grow, we would bring this sport to a [new] level."
He added: "Let the PDC bring the sport to Africa and then everybody can see that this game is for everyone and can create life for any kids there outside. Because for me, David Munayua will just disappear from here and then he'll go back to his veterinarian work."