Owen Maiden reaches another BDO youth final
Owen Maiden came within a game of winning his fifth BDO youth ranking title after reaching the final of the Czech Open.
Only Roman Benecky during a last leg battle in the final could defeat him in the boys ranks at the Orea Pyramida Hotel in Praha,
The 16-year-old from Ashmore Park in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, also nearly reached a board final in the men's singles event.
Dad Mark travelled with him and competed in the men's singles, as did West Midlands cohorts Michael Baker and John Mycock.
Maiden's best success came against his fellow youngsters, where he first prevailed from one of the eight groups under a best-of-five legs format.
He got a bye past the last 64, before seeing off Karel Prokysek 3-2 and beating Joseph Salmon 3-1 to take Group Five.
Two more 3-1 successes took him into the decider, over Nandor Pres in the quarter-finals and Thomas Langer in the semis. Benecky thwarted him 3-2, though, despite Maiden landing a 180.
Maiden had previously won and retained the boy's accolade at the International Open, also claiming the England Open and Welsh Open.
He tried his luck with the men, too, and was placed into Group Nine where he recorded three successive 4-0 whitewashes, as play was upgraded to best-of-seven.
Maiden vanquished Josh Miller, Valentin Popov and Mick Connerton, before World Championship regular and former World Trophy champion Geert De Vos reversed the score-line on him.
Mycock, a West Midlands county player, opened in Group Seven but lost 4-0 at the first hurdle to Stuart King. Mark Maiden was in Group 26, going down 4-0 to Rhys Griffin.
