IT was one of the defining images of 2011, as Kevin Painter dropped to his knees to celebrate winning the Cash Converters Players Championship Finals, and the 45-year-old is hoping to be able to repeat the celebration this Sunday as he prepares to defend his title.
Painter claimed the first major title of his career 12 months ago, defeating Mark Webster 13-9 in the final to take the £60,000 first prize.
The win also propelled Painter back into the world's top 16 and helped him to win a McCoy's Premier League Darts place this year - as well as securing his name amongst the sport's greats.
Painter will begin the defence of his title on Friday against Michael van Gerwen at the Butlins Minehead Resort, and enters the event with fond memories of his triumph a year ago.
"To win my first major, my only major as yet, was great," said Painter. "When I went into the tournament I wasn't on any sort of form, but when I beat Colin Osborne in the first round I started looking at the draw.
"I knew that I had Gary Anderson next and then possibly if I got past him it could have been Phil Taylor, but things opened up for me.
"Gary didn't play particularly well against me and Mervyn King took Phil out. I've got a pretty good record against Mervyn and I thought that if I could get past him then I'd have half a chance.
"I got through that and then in the semi-finals against Scott Rand, he had two darts right on the wire to beat me something like 10-7 - but he missed and he never got another shot because I made a good comeback.
"I felt really good going into the final and I really fancied it. I think the semi-final and final were my best performances and I got better as the tournament went on.
"It's flown past - I can't believe how quickly the year's gone since and I'm really looking forward to this event.
"I've never been called 'Reigning Champion' before - those sort of things are usually reserved for Phil Taylor, Barney and the like - so it's nice to have that title."
Painter will have one of the toughest assignments in the first round when he meets World Grand Prix champion Michael van Gerwen, who also won his seventh ProTour event of the year last weekend in Barnsley.
"I'm not in fantasic form but I'm playing okay and I know what I'm capable of on the TV," adds Painter. "I've got to concentrate on getting my game right but I don't think I'm under any particular extra pressure because I won it last year.
"Michael's been playing really well recently and he's the man of the moment. He's playing some unbelievable darts and everything he does is working for him.
"He can't do anything wrong so I know it's going to be a tough game, but it's only the first to six legs and I've beaten him plenty of times before.
"I'll have to up my game but the stage is where I play my best darts. I had a decent Grand Slam of Darts recently when I reached the quarter-finals, and I think if I'd have hit my doubles I'd have been in the semis."