Ted Hankey facts for kids

Edward Hankey (born 20 February 1968) is an English former professional darts player. He is known by his nickname, "The Count". Ted Hankey won the BDO World Darts Championship twice. He took home the title in 2000 and again in 2009. He also finished as the runner-up in 2001.

In 2012, he joined the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). While playing, he had a mini-stroke. This meant he had to take three months off from darts to get better. He later returned to the BDO, where he played for a few more years. His last appearance at the BDO World Darts Championship was in 2016.

Ted Hankey: A Darts Champion's Journey

Early BDO Career and First World Title

Ted Hankey had a great start to his darts career. In the 2000 BDO World Darts Championship, he showed amazing skill. He beat several strong players to reach the final. In the championship match, he faced Ronnie Baxter. Ted won the final 6–0, which is called a whitewash. He finished the match with a perfect 170 checkout. This was the fastest final in the tournament's history, lasting only 46 minutes. During the semi-final, he also set a record. He hit 22 maximum scores of 180 in one match.

The next year, in 2001, Ted reached the final again. However, he lost to John Walton with a score of 6–2. After this, he didn't reach another major final for a while. He kept playing in the World Championships. In 2002, he lost in the second round. In 2003, he was out in the first round.

Ted continued to compete in the BDO World Darts Championship. He reached the quarter-finals in 2004 and 2005. In 2006, he had a tough match and lost in the first round. He remained positive about his future in darts. In 2011, he achieved a rare feat. He hit a 9-dart finish at the Scottish Open.

Second World Title and Later Seasons

Ted Hankey started the 2009 BDO World Darts Championship strong. He won his first match 3–0 against his friend Brian Woods. He continued to play well throughout the tournament. He beat former World Champion John Walton and England captain Martin Adams. In the final, he played against Tony O'Shea. It was a very close match. Ted won the championship 7–6 in sets. He had a 4–2 lead at one point. He missed some chances to win earlier. But he closed out the match in the final set.

In the 2010 BDO World Darts Championship, Ted reached the quarter-finals. He was leading 4–1 against Dave Chisnall. But Dave came back to win 5–4.

Moving to the PDC

After winning his second world title, Ted was invited to the 2009 Grand Slam of Darts. This event is organized by the PDC. He accepted the invitation and played in the tournament. He won some group games but did not advance far.

In the 2010 Grand Slam of Darts, he had a big win. He defeated darts legend Phil Taylor 5–4 in the group stages. He also beat Michael van Gerwen 5–4. This helped him move to the knockout stage. He was later knocked out by Steve Beaton. Ted also won the Isle of Man Open that year.

Ted qualified for the 2011 Grand Slam of Darts. He won two of his three group matches. This allowed him to reach the last 16. He played Michael van Gerwen again and won 10–9. He then lost a close match to Mark Walsh 14–16.

In the 2012 BDO World Darts Championship, Ted reached the semi-finals. He led 5–3 against Christian Kist. He had a chance to win the match. But Kist came back and won 6–5. After this match, Ted announced he would join the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

Time in the PDC

When Ted joined the PDC, he received a special two-year tour card. This meant he didn't have to go through a qualifying tournament. His first event was the Spanish Darts Trophy. He started to play in more PDC events. He reached the last 16 of a Players Championship event. In the UK Open, he won two matches. But he then lost to his old rival Mervyn King.

Health Challenges

During the 2012 Grand Slam of Darts, Ted faced a health issue. He was playing against Michael van Gerwen. He struggled during the match. He was seen rubbing his eye and losing his balance. It was later found that he had suffered a transient ischemic attack, also known as a mini-stroke. This meant he needed several weeks to rest and recover. Because of this, he could not play in the qualifier for the 2013 World Championship.

Returning to the Oche

Ted Hankey returned to darts in February 2013. He showed good form in a Players Championship event. He beat top players like John Henderson, Paul Nicholson, and James Wade. He almost reached his first PDC quarter-final. He qualified for the UK Open again. He won two matches before losing in the third round.

He returned for the Grand Slam of Darts. He had a great performance against Dave Chisnall, winning 5–3. He then beat Michael Smith 5–1. This helped him reach the knockout stages. He faced Simon Whitlock and made an amazing comeback. He was losing 6–1 but won 10–9. This put him in the quarter-finals for the second time. His run ended there, losing to Scott Waites.

Back to the BDO

After his two-year tour card with the PDC ended, Ted decided to return to the BDO. He played in his first season back. He reached two quarter-finals. He tried to qualify for major BDO events. In 2015, he qualified for the 2015 BDO World Trophy. However, he lost in the first round.

Personal Life

Ted Hankey has three children. After his mini-stroke in 2012, he focused on his health and family.

Career Finals

BDO Major Finals: 4 (2 titles, 2 runners-up)

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score
Winner	1.	2000	World Championship	Ronnie Baxter	6–0 (s)
Runner-up	1.	2001	World Championship	John Walton	2–6 (s)
Runner-up	2.	2004	Zuiderduin Masters	Raymond van Barneveld	1–5 (s)
Winner	2.	2009	World Championship	Tony O'Shea	7–6 (s)

World Championship Results

BDO

• 1998: Quarter-finals (lost to Colin Monk 2–5)
• 1999: Second round (lost to Chris Mason 1–3)
• 2000: Winner (beat Ronnie Baxter 6–0)
• 2001: Runner-up (lost to John Walton 2–6)
• 2002: Second round (lost to Wayne Jones 2–3)
• 2003: First round (lost to Tony O'Shea 2–3)
• 2004: Quarter-finals (lost to Tony O'Shea 1–5)
• 2005: Quarter-finals (lost to Martin Adams 3–5)
• 2006: First round (lost to Albertino Essers 1–3)
• 2007: Quarter-finals (lost to Martin Adams 3–5)
• 2008: Quarter-finals (lost to Simon Whitlock 0–5)
• 2009: Winner (beat Tony O'Shea 7–6)
• 2010: Quarter-finals (lost to Dave Chisnall 4–5)
• 2011: First round (lost to Scott Waites 0–3)
• 2012: Semi-finals (lost to Christian Kist 5–6)
• 2016: First round (lost to Martin Phillips 0–3)

Performance Timeline