IT’S not often one professional sports player says another’s victory is the highlight of their career, but this tale rings true for a local darts star.

Ellesmere Port’s Tony Martin has played darts for the best part of 10 years and has many achievements of his own.

But he describes the victory of his partner, Anastasia Dobromyslova – now resident in Ellesmere Port as well – in last week’s World Championships as the proudest moment of his life.

He said: “I was delighted when she won it. It was definitely the best moment I’ve had in darts.”

Anastasia comfortably defeated women’s darts legend Trina Gulliver 2-0 in the final at Lakeside, Surrey, to become World Champion – quite an achievement for someone who only started playing by accident in her native Russia.

She explained: “I was only 11 and had a go because a group of people were gathered round a darts board.

“Everyone was surprised at how good I was and told me to keep on trying, so I did.”

Anastasia was born and brought up in Tver, 180km north of Moscow, in a country where darts was hardly ever played.

But after she had the taste, she soon got a dartboard in her house and began playing regularly. I really enjoyed playing and practised more and more.

“My dad encouraged me and played against me.”

Tony’s progression in the sport was also due to the influence of a parent and it was his mother, Shirley, who really got him into it.

“Both of my parents played a lot around Ellesmere Port and my mother was part of Merseyside’s team.

“She had contacts there and I began playing for Merseyside Youth.”

The pair were soon fixtures on the pro darts circuit and ended up living together in Tony’s home town via Finland and Holland.

“We came to Ellesmere Port last September after we had lived together in Holland,” said Tony, who was named British Darts Organisation (BDO) Young Player of the Year in 2004. “We first met at the Finnish Open in 2005 and have been an item for just over two years.”

Two professional darts players under one roof must get competitive, so is one of them better than the other?

Tony said: “We play each other all the time and it can get heated, but in all honesty it is very even and we win similar amounts of games.”

Anastasia’s fantastic victory saw her win £6,000 – a measly sum compared to the £85,000 that men’s World Champion Mark Webster received and the couple don’t feel that this is right.

“I think this is really unfair,” said Anastasia., “Women work just as hard as the men so should be awarded more.”

Tony added: “The men’s prize money increases every year while the women’s stay the same, it’s not on.”

Anastasia is hoping that 2008 will see her world ranking rise above her current fourth place, whilst Tony is looking forward to getting back on the BDO circuit after temporarily switching to the Professional Darts Circuit and hoping for as many TV appearances as possible.