Cameron Menzies takes on Rusty-Jake Rodriguez on the opening night of the World Darts Championship on Friday but instead of spending the day getting prepared for the big moment, he was plumbing before rushing off to the Alexandra Palace. The Scot had to finish his shift just hours away from taking the stage in darts’ most famous venue.
Menzies, like many professional darts players, balances his sporting career with a day job and the 34-year-old is also a qualified plumber. Many thought that Menzies would have been able to take the day off, but instead had a half day before arriving in London to face Rodriguez. He posted a photo on social media working on a customer’s bathroom just hours before he takes the stage at Ally Pally.
“Working before the world’s. What a joy,” Menzies wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) accompanied by several laughing emojis, before later providing an update on his way out of his day job: “Plumbing at 11 darts at 8. Finished.”
The second update came as Menzies snapped a picture of himself rushing out of the door from his job in Milton Keynes as he travelled to London before Friday’s match. When one supporter asked why he did not take the day off before the tournament, he responded with: “Tried to. But got half a shift take that.”
He made the second round of the tournament last year and fetched £7,500, with this year’s winner taking home a massive £500,000.
Menzies, nicknamed ‘Cammy’ has admitted that his plumbing job has caused issues with his darts in the past. “I had issues with my hands at the Players Championship,” he told The Sun. “It happens after I use certain power tools which vibrate. My hands were a bit numb-ish.”
He can call on support from his girlfriend and fellow darts pro Fallon Sherrock, also in action on Friday, and the Rangers fan could not help himself when his partner met Prince William and wanted her to hand the future King a piece of memorabilia from the Scottish club.
