'THE RIOT'
Meet Callan Rydz, World Darts Championship quarter-finalist who loved BMX before breaking foot in lockdown crash
Callan was a BMX daredevil before fully focusing on darts
CALLAN RYDZ is a record-breaking rising star in the world of professional darts.
He'll be hoping to improve on his 2022 run to the quarters at the PDC World Darts Championship 2025.
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Who is Callan Rydz?
Callan Rydz was born on July 3, 1998, in Newcastle, England.
He has quickly made a name for himself on the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) circuit.
Darts Quarter-Final Draw
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Wednesday, January 1
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
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Evening Session (7pm)
- Peter Wright vs Stephen Bunting
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His nickname is "The Riot" — Callan is known for his exuberance on stage and has never shied away from showing emotion — and he is currently ranked at world No 43 on the PDC Order of Merit.
Since earning his PDC tour card in 2019, he has already achieved significant milestones in his career and is considered one of the sport's most exciting prospects.
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Callan lives in Bedlington and has an interesting connection to the darts world through his family — he is cousins with fellow thrower Chris Dobey, who also resides in the market town.
Before pursuing darts full time, Callan was a BMX rider until he snapped his foot during lockdown.
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After his 4-1 fourth round thumping of Alan Soutar during his 2022 run the quarters of the sport’s showpiece event, Callan said: “I was more into BMX than darts before I broke my foot.
“I used to be a bit of a daredevil on my bike. But I'll never try to do flips and tricks again.
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“Last year I got a bike and I snapped three bones in my foot. I had to wear a moon boot for two and a half months.”
Career highlights
Callan's journey in professional darts began in earnest when he secured his PDC Tour Card in 2019 by topping the Challenge Tour Order of Merit.
Infamous Ally Pally wasp lands on Callan Rydz's head during crucial World Darts Championship clash
Since then, he has steadily climbed the ranks and made his mark in various tournaments:
- PDC titles: Callan has won three ranking PDC titles.
- World Championship: He reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Darts Championship, where he had an impressive run before narrowly losing to eventual champ Peter Wright 5-4 in a thrilling match.
- Players Championship: In 2021, Callan claimed his first PDC ProTour title in February and added a second Players Championship success in October.
- World Matchplay: His strong performances earned him a spot in his first World Matchplay tournament, where he defeated notable players including Glen Durrant and Rob Cross before reaching the quarter-finals.
- Record-breaker: Callan averaged 107.06 as he saw off Croatian wildcard Romeo Grbavac at the 2025 World Darts Championship, breaking the record previously held by Luke Littler.
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Career earnings
According to the PDC Order of Merit, Callan has earned £142,000 in ranking money in 2024 alone.
His total career prize money is reported to be £489,400.
From his quarter-final appearance in the 2022 World Championship alone, Callan took home £50,000.
Callan is sponsored by Unicorn, a major darts equipment manufacturer, which likely contributes to his overall financial status.
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