Mission Academy star Archie Self is hoping to add his name to the record books at Lakeside again when he returns to defend his WDF Open Youth World Championship title.
‘The Archer’ became the youngest winner of the Open Youth title when he defeated Jenson Walker in a thrilling final at the Lakeside Country Club last year, eclipsing the 2023 champion Bradley van der Velden’s record by 318 days.
Self, who recently turned 16, won through the World Championship Qualifiers in Budapest to secure his place in the eight-player field for the second consecutive year, and now the England youth international is bidding to become the first two-time Open Youth world champion at Lakeside.
“It’s a great opportunity to be back playing at Lakeside again,” Self told the Weekly Dartscast. “Just going back to the qualifiers to try and qualify again I had a lot of nerves, but I had to hold my nerves to get back there and that’s what I’ve done. I’m over the moon.
“Last year at Lakeside was the first time I’ve ever been at a World Championships. It was a brilliant atmosphere. I’ve watched Lakeside since I was six or seven years old and just to play on that stage, wow, I couldn’t believe it.
“I was very happy to win one game, that’s all I wanted to do, but when I won the first game I thought ‘if you have the head space right you can win it all’ and that’s what I ended up doing.”
Self’s run to Lakeside glory 12 months ago started with a 2-1 victory over the second seed Kendji Steinbach in the quarter-finals, before dropping just one leg in a straight sets win against Lex Paeshuyse in the last four.
A first English winner of the Open Youth title was guaranteed as Self faced off with the number one seed Jenson Walker in the final, with the two teenagers playing out a dramatic final that went all the way to a last-set decider.
“I was fine backstage before the final, but then as soon as I got on stage and started practicing my hand was shaking and my whole body was shaking,” Self recalled.
“After losing the first set the nerves went away, but when I went 2-1 up they came back again! Jenson then took out a great finish to go two sets all and the nerves went again until the very last dart, but I was happy to win it.
“To be called a world champion as a 15-year-old it was brilliant and something I’ve always dreamt of since I was a little kid.”
Self’s collection of trophies has been growing ever since he won his first youth county match at just eight years of age – and it was not just the World Championship trophy he took home from his first visit to Lakeside last year.
“I went to Lakeside on the first weekend last year and I was there when Danny Porter played his first game,” Self said.
“Danny brought the inflatable crocodile on stage and he gave it to me one night after one of my games. I’ve still got it somewhere at home!”
Self’s title defence at Lakeside starts today with a quarter-final clash against the second seed Florian Preis, who reached the semi-finals in last year’s Open Youth event.
The top seed Mitchell Lawrie, the newly crowned World Masters Open Youth champion, is widely tipped as the favourite to win this year’s tournament, with the Scottish teenager having also qualified for the Open competition after winning a trio of senior titles during 2025.
“Every game is hard and I know Florian played at Lakeside last year, so he’s got the stage experience as well,” Self said.
“Last year I played the second seed in the first round and I ended up winning it, so if I go with the same confidence this year hopefully I can win it again.
“Mitchell’s had a brilliant year. He’s played fantastic all the way through. Hopefully we can both get through to the final and if we do hopefully it will be a great final!”