Ross Smith is barely recognisable from the early stages of his career. (Image: Getty)
It’s not just with his darts where Ross Smith has undergone a transformation as he prepare to get his latest Ally Pally bid underway. Smith, 35, has reached the third-round stage at the last three , and the current world No.19 has been touted as a dark horse this time around.
He’s entered at the second stage this year, and will take on popular Philippine player Paulo Nebrida.
But those who have followed the Englishman’s career closely will consider him unrecognisable from the player who switched from the BDO to the in 2012.
Back then, Smith weighed in at a huge 23stone 4lbs, having stuck to a diet he now admits was dominated by beer and take-aways. Now though, he’s down at a healthy 13stone 13lbs, and has opened up on his incredible dedication to turning his career, and life, around.
According to ’Smudger’, it was four years ago when he saw the light, even if he had to endure the taunts of his fellow professionals. “I turned up at Coventry and Milton Keynes,” he told .
“I started running around the stadium before the events. There were a few players outside the front there. Not mentioning any names. Taking the p*** out of me a bit. They’d say: ‘Go on fatty. Do another lap. What time do you call this?’ I was having loads of banter.”
Smith has shed more than nine stone. (Image: Getty)
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The 2022 European champion has also drastically altered his diet as well as his exercise regime, and believes losing more than nine stone has helped him mentally as well as physically. “I do exercise really because it helps with my mentality,” he continued.
“When I’ve done exercise, I get up, feel fresh and am ready to attack the day. Some players would go to me ‘Corr, aren’t you knackered after that?’ No, if anything it wakes me up. I do it for mental health benefits.”
The legendary notable changed his health habits to prolong his time at the top, and no longer is the game associated with beer and cigarettes like it was for much of the 1980s and 90s. And Smith did concede that the nature of the PDC schedule can often prove difficult for stars to manage around.
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“It’s the lifestyle, flying here, there and everywhere,” he added. “Sometimes you haven’t got an option of getting great food. It can be 10pm. Honestly I have been put in hotels in Germany and literally they don’t have any food on a Sunday.”
The former lorry driver has arrived in London in good form. He reached the semi-final stage at the recent Players Championship, where he was beaten by teenage sensation Luke Littler.