Ekurhuleni darts teams strike gold at national championships

The Ekurhuleni North Darts Association (ENDA) returned from the Darts South Africa (DSA) National Championships in Cape Town with gold medals for both its men’s and women’s teams.

The championships were held at the Valedrome in Bellville from July 14 to 18, with teams from across South Africa competing.

ENDA’s men’s team competed in Section 5 of the six-section competition, which featured 12 teams in each section.

The team finished at the top of its log, securing first place and a gold medal.

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The women’s team competed in Section 4, which had 11 teams. The team also finished at the top of its log, earning first place and a gold medal.

The double success marked a significant achievement for the association, which was established in January 2024 by Carlos Rego.

ENDA is affiliated with Darts South Africa and aims to promote darts as a competitive sport while encouraging sportsmanship, camaraderie and community involvement. In February, Rego stepped down as president to focus on his business and family responsibilities, with Priveen Rampersad subsequently appointed to the position.

However, the 2026 national championships were particularly emotional for the association following the sudden death of ENDA player Darren ‘Wildcard’ Butterworth just one week before the team travelled to Cape Town.

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ENDA president Rampersad described Butterworth as a valued teammate, friend and member of the ENDA family.

“Darren was more than a talented darts player. He was a valued teammate, a loyal friend and an integral member of the ENDA family. His sudden passing left the association in shock and mourning, and his loss was deeply felt by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” Rampersad said.

Rather than allowing their grief to overshadow their campaign, Rampersad said the players chose to honour Butterworth through their performance.

“We knew Darren would have wanted us to give everything we had. We played not only for ourselves but for him. Our goal was to bring the trophies home in his honour,” he said.

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Both teams subsequently returned with gold medals in their respective sections.

“Darren will forever be in our hearts and forever part of the ENDA family,” Rampersad said.

While celebrating its success at national level, ENDA is also focusing on developing young players.

In March, the association launched its Youth Development Programme, aimed at introducing boys and girls aged eight to 18 to darts in a supportive environment.

Rampersad said the programme aims to develop both sporting ability and life skills.

“Darts is more than a game; it teaches discipline, concentration, patience, sportsmanship and respect. It also encourages teamwork, builds self-confidence and provides young players with an opportunity to become part of a positive sporting community,” he said.

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The programme also helps develop numeracy skills through scoring, calculating scores and practising basic addition and subtraction.

Qualified and experienced club members provide coaching and guidance to both beginners and experienced young players.

Among ENDA’s young players is 17-year-old Arabella Rego, who represented the Gauteng Junior Darts Team at the national championships.

After participating in provincial trials earlier this year, she was selected as one of four girls and four boys to represent Gauteng.

Team Gauteng finished fourth overall after competing against eight teams, while Arabella finished 16th overall in her singles matches.

Rampersad said her achievement reflected both her dedication and the association’s growing commitment to youth development.

The Youth Development Programme takes place every Wednesday from 17:30 to 19:00 at the venue adjacent to The Meeting Place in Starling Street, Kelvin Power Station.

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ENDA’s club night is also held every Wednesday from 19:00 at the same venue.

The association continues to welcome new players and members. Anyone interested in joining can contact ENDA at secretary@enda.org.za.

With both its men’s and women’s teams returning from Cape Town with gold medals in their respective sections, ENDA said its achievements in 2026 reflect not only success on the oche, but also its commitment to its players, community and the future of darts.