DARTER Jamie Lewis of Cardigan is preparing for one of the biggest challenges since joining the Professional Darts Corporation when tackling five times world champion Raymond van Barnaveld of the Netherlands in the World Championship at Alexandra Palace in London.

The 21-year-old Cardigan thrower who qualified for the biggest tournament on the planet for the second year in succession goes head-to-head with the world number ten this Sunday.

The televised championship, which runs from December 13 to January 1, with more than £1m in prize money, features the top 72 players in the world. The first round format is the best of five sets with five legs per set.

Lewis’ 46-yiear-old opponent, known as Barney, won the British Darts Organisation world championship four times before moving to the PDC and capturing the title on one occasion. Remarkably he is naturally left-handed but throws his darts right-handed.

As he stepped up practice this week Lewis said “Barney is undoubtedly one of the best ever and I know it will be very tough to overcome him. But I feel good, I’m looking forward to the game and I’ll give it my best shot.”