VAN VEEN REVEALS BLOODY THUMB HELL BEHIND DARTS SWITCH
24/04/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
GIAN VAN VEEN revealed his thumb was repeatedly “split open” which forced him to change his darts in the Premier League.
The Giant made the bold switch ahead of Night 12 in Liverpool and beat Gerwyn Price 6-4 before losing 6-5 to Jonny Clayton in the semi-final after missing a match dart.
The world No.3 sits fifth in the table, four points behind Michael van Gerwen, and despite reaching four nightly finals, admits he is still searching for consistency following a disrupted year due to kidney stone surgery.
After a brilliant 2025 campaign that saw him win the European Championship and reach the World Championship final, Van Veen is hoping the latest tweak can reignite his form.
He told Viaplay: “I do have a reason why it dipped, and I understand it. But I was a bit done with it myself. I wasn’t enjoying that old set much anymore.
“Just to try something different. It felt good straight away. The grip is just a bit different.
“Last year I was messing around with my grip. During the Worlds and the Euros my thumb was even split open. That had to change.
“Winning a Premier League Darts match straight away with these darts does give confidence.
“Despite the average, it’s a good start. That’s the phase I’m in. I’m still searching, but this definitely feels like a step in the right direction.
“I also just enjoy throwing with these darts. It’s something different. That helps.”
Van Veen returns to action in the weekly roadshow next Thursday at Aberdeen and takes on Josh Rock.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
