Sir Chris Hoy will present the Ballon d’Art trophy at the World Darts Championship final on January 3 – just weeks after breaking his leg in a serious mountain bike accident
Bruna Reis and Isaac Seelochan Senior Sports Journalist
15:55, 03 Jan 2026
Sir Chris Hoy is set to make an appearance at the World Darts Championship final(Image: UGC)
Sir Chris Hoy is set to make a poignant appearance at Alexandra Palace, just weeks after suffering a severe leg injury in a cycling accident whilst battling terminal prostate cancer.
The six-time Olympic champion had been invited to present the Ballon d’Art trophy prior to the incident and expressed hope he would be more mobile by the time of the World Darts Championship final.
“I’ve smashed my leg up on the mountain bike, that’s the worst thing that’s happened recently,” Hoy said to Sky Sports last month. “You just don’t bounce like you do when you’re younger. It was a big one.
“I’m doing better now, I’m still on crutches, hobbling about, but by the time I’m there for the darts final on January 3, hopefully I’ll be a bit more mobile.”
Title sponsors Paddy Power, in partnership with the Professional Darts Corporation’s (PDC) official charity Prostate Cancer UK, extended the invitation to the legendary cyclist to award the trophy recognising the player who hits the most 180s throughout the competition.
Last year’s champion Luke Humphries secured the first-ever Ballon d’Art after landing 73 maximums from an unprecedented total of 914. Despite this achievement, he suffered a 5-1 defeat to Gian van Veen in the quarter-finals.
The 49-year-old is certain to receive a rousing ovation when he takes to the stage for the final on Saturday night.
Sir Chris Hoy revealed he had terminal cancer in October 2024(Image: Sean Hansford/Manchester Evening News)
Hoy sent shockwaves through the sporting world last year when he disclosed his Stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis.
He has been receiving chemotherapy following doctors informing him he has between two and four years to live.
Despite the devastating news, Hoy has maintained a positive outlook towards the future.
“It’s not completely stable, there’s times where it comes back and then you have to change treatment,” he said.
“But the fortunate thing for me in my situation, there are a number of different treatments out there, as there are for any men with prostate cancer.
“Once you’ve got past the diagnosis, which for me was over two years ago, now the first part of that is pretty grim and then you start treatment.
“Then, if you’re lucky like me, you respond to the treatment and then you enter a period of kind of stability.”
