Stirling darts starlet keeps professional hopes high after signing up for top talent agency

Stirling darts starlet Sophie McKinlay has taken another step to standing on some of the sport’s top oches after signing with a leading talent agency.

The 17-year-old, from Raploch, has been taking the sport by storm after picking up darts at the tender age of five and reaching her first final aged just ten.

Ever since that point, it has been a push forward for Sophie, who represented Scotland at 12 years old and regularly picked up prestigious titles through her early teens.

It was at a recent tournament in Estonia that Sophie was talent-spotted by a representative from Target Darts and asked to become part of their Elite 1 Mentoring programme, which supports some of the top talent towards becoming fully-fledged professionals.

The programme aims to refine their talents for the elite level, providing quality and bespoke equipment to ensure they get the best out of their skills.

Sophie’s mum Mhairi told the Observer that the former Wallace High pupil has had to overcome some doubts about her future in the sport – but is now thriving.

Mhairi said: “Sophie has been playing since the age of five.

“She has won the British International, the Scottish Ladies Singles and she got to the final of the World Cup for Scotland alongside her partner at 13.

“Lockdown hit her quite hard because she was bored with playing online and she was going to give it up, but she started a new throw and flights and ended up qualifying for the Scotland team again.

“She has been travelling for World Darts Federation events all over the place and she is currently second in the youth girls ranking for the world and 12th in the ladies event, top eight qualify for the Lakeside so that is something to aim for.”

Target are one of the sport’s leading brands