Updated 16.42 | Published 16.33
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A mountain of muscles with tattoos, a smiling närking – yes, for Alexander Axén it is the best image of life.
In the rest of the family, it is less popular.
– My wife hates it, says the darts fan.
In the middle of a storm, Alexander Axén pulls his mobile out of his jeans pocket.
He has been talking non-stop and verbose about darts for nine minutes when he has a whim and shows the display. On the left he stands himself, with an accreditation badge around his neck. On the right, he explains, stands the magnificent Welshman Gerwyn Price.
Probably, says the former football coach, he has only taken two photos with celebrities in recent years.
2023 Med Gerwyn Price.
Och 2024 Med Gerwyn Price.
“I was so pleased”
The clairvoyant sees that the Welshman has changed his hairstyle between times, but even a half-blind person sees the most radical difference: in picture two, Axén is smiling like a happy child. It’s a face that his wife hates, but which he himself thinks reflects the feelings inside at the time of the photo.
– That’s my darts guy. When I had taken the picture I felt “now I can die”. I was so happy to meet him.
Why are you smiling?
– I had shown the picture from 2023 and he said “damn what an ugly haircut I have”. Then I started laughing.
We only have 20 minutes, sandwiched between different podcast recordings, because it’s dart time and Axén is in demand everywhere. But after three decades as a darts fanatic, the time has come to catch up with a flurry of stories, like the one about Bobby “The King of Bling” George, who after successful series used to open a breast pocket and “play with the tits”. Or about the supporters who dress up as Scooby Doo and SpongeBob SquarePants. Or about the stroke of luck to book Luke Littler to the Swedish Dart Festival for just 10,000 kroner. Today, he takes upwards of 300,000, according to Axén.
An old rugby player
But we need to slow down for a moment and check the facts: on December 13, the “Night of champions” will be arranged in the Partille Arena. The competition is intended as a kind of pre-party to the WC in Alexandra Palace in London, which of course begins on December 11 but which has its highlights around Christmas and New Year.
The axis must be in place on both. Hang out with the costumed supporters, listen to the taunts between the standing crowd and those sitting.
All that could have been discussed in a text, but Sportbladet plans to travel with the Swede and document the championship on location. That’s why we content ourselves with finding out what makes Gerwyn Price such an honorable slob.
Because this is a text about obsession and no human on earth brings out the same emotions in Axén as the 40-year-old Welshman.
– He is an old rugby player who is bitten. The others look a little different. He roars when he does something good, goes out to the crowd and cheers. There was almost a fight when he met Gary Anderson, says Axén and shifts gears.
Wore earmuffs at the WC
– I thought he stood out. He was good for the sport. But he was constantly booed, so at the World Cup two or three years ago he wore hoods. And it was a hell of a life. You are not allowed to wear a headgear, but he had applied for it to avoid being disturbed by the bus whistles.
How did it go then?
– He did a 180 (dart’s maximum score, editor’s note) and turned around and pointed at the covers. “I don’t hear anything”. Then he was even more reviled.
But you loved him?
– Love.
The ax holds the palms up.
– It has gone so far that when he loses a match I feel like when my football teams lost in the past. I get so depressed and angry. I have sat in a restaurant and looked at the mobile phone under the table and when he has lost I have gone straight home and gone to bed. I’m getting so fucking lazy.
“Probably wondering who I am”
Nowadays, Alexander Axén has gotten to know the guards at the Darts WC and has been given the arena’s best seats when Gerwyn Price attends his matches.
– Each player has a row. His wife is sitting there, then there must be three empty chairs. Then I sit there.
So you’re his biggest fan?
– Yes, but he doesn’t know about it. Looking towards the wife, he sees her… and then me. He’s probably wondering who I am.
Just one more quick question: what’s the coolest thing about December? Christmas, New Year or all darts?
– Darts.
