WORCESTER’S Harry Martin produced some of his best arrows when it mattered most to clinch his place at the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC) World Championship.

The Tudor Grange Academy Worcester student travelled to Manchester, Solihull, Wolverhampton and Dorchester in a bid to accumulate enough points to get into the coveted top 22.

But Martin still needed to pull out strong performances in the final two events at Riley’s in Worcester earlier this month to win a spot to Gibraltar.

With the pressure on, the 16-year-old got all the way to the quarter-finals before losing 3-2 and then made the last 64 in the next competition to finish 20th in the JDC rankings.

Evesham’s Mitchell Leeming who attends De Monfort School will also compete in the grand finals that will be held from September 24 to 26.

“It is a big achievement,” Martin said.

“This is my first attempt at doing the JDC tour events so it is a big thing to get to Gibraltar.

“There were 10 events with two tournaments split up across each day.

“A lot of hard work has gone into this as you have got to have the right mindset on that certain day.

“I have been averaging the last 32 but to qualify I knew I needed to play well at Worcester to make it through.

“You had to make the top 22 and I had always been in the top 30 so I had to find that extra bit to secure my spot.

“I made the last eight and then the last 64 in the second event.

“I was hoping that would give me enough points to qualify and it did so I was over the moon with that.”

With plenty of prize money up for grabs in Gibraltar Martin is hoping to spend time at the oche to gear up for the world championship.

“Knowing that I have qualified has given me a massive confidence boost in my game when playing in the local dart leagues on Tuesday and Wednesday nights,” Martin said.

“My main goal was to try to qualify for Gibraltar and I have so anything more is a bonus.

“But the further I can get in the tournament the better so I can’t wait now.

“The winner gets £2,000 and the runner-up gets £1,000 so there is a lot at stake.

“Even if you lose in the last 16 you get £150 so you will be playing for quite a lot. I am sitting my GCSEs over the next two weeks so once I have finished them I am going to be on the dart board a lot more.”