Debenham’s Jo Locke lands rare double at UKDA National Finals at Rotherham’s Magna Centre

Debenham arrows ace Jo Locke achieved a rare double at the recent United Kingdom Darts Association (UKDA) national finals – winning both the singles and pairs trophies at Rotherham’s Magna Centre.

It continued a stellar 2023 campaign for the 53-year-old, who became the first female representative from Suffolk – only fourth ever – to play for England back in April.

Locke, who previously won the Malta Open in 2019, ended up playing 78 legs of darts over 12 hours over the weekend of July 1-2, making her way through the field in both competitions to end the night with back-to-back finals on the main stage.

Alongside Stowmarket Super League team-mate Nadine Leathers, they rallied from 2-0 down in the UKDA National Pairs final to beat England international Maria O’Brien her Devon team-mate Sarah Brown in a deciding seventh leg.

Having dispatched of O’Brien before that 5-1 in Singles semi-finals, Locke capped a dream day at the prestigious event by giving her performance of the day against Tyne & Wear representative Angela Kirkwoo to clinch a second major trophy. She hit four 180s and a 177 on her way to recording a 5-3 success to become the UKDA National Singles champion for the first time.

In the UKDA Men’s Champions Cup, Suffolk Super League winners Cedars Park were unfortunate to lose out narrowly 4-3 in the semi-final to London top dogs Welling B.

The Stowmarket team were without their two top players in PDC professionals Andrew Gilding and Stephen Burton, but performed admirably all day only to fall just one leg short of matching their 2022 achievement of reaching the final.