Fairfax County Police officers Mike Tucker and Mark Kidd won gold medals in the darts competition at the 2013 World Police & Fire Games in Belfast. The pair defeated dart throwers from numerous other countries in “501” doubles.
“I thought coming to Northern Ireland we’d have much greater competition because in Ireland and the UK, dart is more their pastime,” Kidd said. “And we did.”
The World Police & Fire Games are one of the largest multi-sport, multi-venue athletic events in the world, drawing more than 12,000 competitors from police, fire and public safety agencies from more 70 countries. The games will be hosted by Fairfax County in the National Capital Region in 2015.
The atmosphere was one of camaraderie and good times among old friends, and the people of Belfast were very friendly and helpful, Tucker said. “One of the best things here, competition put aside, is just meeting all the different people from all the jurisdictions,” he said.
Tucker and Kidd are among a group of about 60 men and women from the National Capital Region who are part of a large contingent of American competitors at the 2013 Games in Belfast.
As liaisons to Fairfax 2015, Kidd and Tucker hope to bring the lessons they’ve learned competing against the world’s best fire and police dart throwers when the games come to the National Capital Region in two years. The two police officers won bronze when they competed in the 2011 World Fire & Police Games held in New York.
“Darts is really a worldwide competition especially when it comes to the UK, Australia and South Africa. When we come to Fairfax, we are going to make sure it’s done, and done right and make sure we please everyone across the globe,” Kidd said.
The 2013 darts competition was held at the Newforge Country Club in south Belfast, home to the Police Athletic Association of Northern Ireland.
Fairfax 2015 is a nonprofit organization established by Fairfax County to organize, manage and operate all activities related to hosting the 2015 World Police & Fire Games. The 2015 games will take place in more than 40 venues throughout the National Capital Region (VA, DC and MD) from June 26 to July 5, 2015. Beneficiaries of the 2015 WPFG will include the U.S. National Law Enforcement Memorial, the U.S. National Fallen Firefighters Memorial and the local Valor Awards Scholarship Fund. The games are projected to attract more than 30,000 visitors to the Washington, D.C. area and generate an estimated $80 million for the regional economy.
For more information, go to: www.Fairfax2015.com or www.wpfg2013.com.