Gemma Hayter hopes Alexandra Palace debut will inspire other women to play darts

Gemma Hayter hopes her unlikely journey to the World Championship can inspire other women to play the sport.

The 32-year-old will make her Alexandra Palace debut when she takes on world number 10 Josh Rock on Friday having returned to the sport in 2024 following an eight-year hiatus.

Hayter admits she never thought such an experience was possible as she walked away from the sport in 2016 due to lack of opportunities for women players.

She hopes to become the first woman to win at Ally Pally since Fallon Sherrock, but knows she is performing a bigger task as one of five women to compete in this year’s first round.

“It would mean everything, it’s something that I never thought I would do,” Hayter told the Press Association.

“It’s something I never thought that I would experience being up there. I’m really looking forward to that.

“But I think it’s just so important that the women are seen as well. That’s huge for me. If I’ve done that after quitting for eight, nine years, I just wish it will encourage more women and more girls into the sport.

“And if it does that, then it’s worth it.”

But it did not take long for her to get back in the groove.

“I probably would say it was like I had never been away,” she added. “It was strange because my partner put a board up, and then I was having a throw at home, and I said to her, ‘Oh, these are going in really well’.

“And then we looked at when the Women’s Series was and it started in March, so I’d started throwing again in the January. Then we went to the first Women’s Series and I got to the semi-final.

“I thought I probably wouldn’t do that again, but I’ve had wins, I’ve had finals, countless semi-finals.”

Hayter is close with world number two Luke Humphries, with the pair playing together in the Hampshire youth league.

And it was Humphries’ 2024 World Championship victory that inspired Hayter to return to the oche.

“We both played Hampshire youth. I’m a year older than him and he obviously carried on playing darts, whereas I kind of dwindled,” Hayter said.

“But when I started thinking about coming back into it was when he won his World Championship.

“That was huge, seeing him win that, for me. And then he has just been there.

“He was my point of contact when contracts were getting thrown about in my face. And he was actually a big help.”

:: Gemma Hayter is an ambassador for darts brand, Red Dragon Darts.