Darts professional Matt Clark recently shared a harrowing experience where he received a stark warning from doctors after being hospitalized due to a severe blood clot. The 57-year-old player, hailing from Dartford, had to step away from the World Seniors Tour as medical professionals emphasized the urgent need for lifestyle changes to safeguard his life.
During his time holding a PDC Tour Card from 2003 to 2017 and again from 2019 to 2022, Clark’s most notable achievement was reaching the last 32 in the 2006 World Championships before being stopped by Phil Taylor. Following the loss of his Tour Card, he transitioned to the WDF circuit.
Reflecting on his health scare, Clark recounted, “Midway through the seniors tour, I got a life-threatening blood clot in a not very pleasant place. When you are literally sat in front of a doctor and they say, ‘If you do anything and that moves, you’re dead,’ it kind of gives you a new perspective on life.”
Detailing the severity of his condition, Clark stated, “They said, ‘You cannot go to work. If we don’t get that under control, you’re either going to have a brain haemorrhage or a heart attack. It’s as simple as that.'”
Clark, appearing on the Tungsten Tales podcast, disclosed, “The TV events that I qualified for, for the seniors tour, I was getting hospital treatment for. I kept it quiet because you can’t use that to make excuses. It was palmed off that I had a bad leg at the time.”
He continued, “The start of the WDF season I was under hospital guidance and I wasn’t allowed to travel or fly. So I actually only started playing when I was discharged from hospital in February this year. I’ve still got issues I’m dealing with but that’s just a matter of time. Unfortunately, my back has gone now. It’s slightly wonky but I’ll deal with that. My back brace is working a treat.”
Despite his health challenges, Clark has made a remarkable return to the WDF World Championship as the No. 7 seed. He is set to compete against Belgium’s Francois Schweyen in the last 16.
Clark’s career highlights include winning the 1999 Canadian Open and making it to the quarter-finals of the 2008 World Matchplay, marking his best performance at a PDC major tournament. In a memorable match, he was defeated 16-12 by James Wade, who went on to the final before losing to ‘The Power’ in the Blackpool showdown.
The PDC World Darts Championship is scheduled to kick off on December 11, and fans can catch all the action live exclusively with Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle.