VAN VEEN REVEALS EMOTIONAL FIGHT TO OVERCOME DARTITIS

GIAN VAN VEEN admits he was left in “tears” and “struggling” as he battled dartitis during the early stages of his career. 

World No. 18 Van Veen is enjoying a breakout season as he won his first ProTour title at the Players Championship Six where he beat Luke Humphries 8-3 in the final. 

‘The Giant’ also made back-to-back major quarter-finals at the UK Open and World Matchplay. 

But the Dutchman revealed he developed dartitis as a teenager due to the fear of failure at the oche. 

He told the Tops and Tales podcast: “I was about 18, 19 years old. I was really struggling with darts.

“I remember going to my third Q school, I struggled so much that week. I still remember the whole tournament was at the last eight and I was still playing my last 32 game.  

“It just started because I was playing so slow and I was really struggling.

“For me I was just scared of losing. I was scared of what people might think of me when I play bad.

“In my head I was like especially when I was on a double, what happens if you miss?  

“If you miss, you might let people down, you let your family down, you let yourself down. 

“It’s all going through your mind when you’re on a double, then you’re not going to release it because you don’t want to miss. 

“I was apologising to all the officials. I was like, I’m sorry. I’m really trying. 

“But I was still winning games and they were like, you’re not doing anything wrong. You can’t help yourself, it’s okay.” 

Van Veen recalled a particularly distressing moment at a Challenge Tour event, when an opponent accused him of faking the issue. 

He added: “I still remember one game on the Challenge Tour when I first got dartitis and my opponent was angry at me because he thought I was doing it on purpose.  

“I was in tears. I was really crying my eyes out in the middle of Barnsley Metrodome because I was struggling myself.

“If my opponent told me I was cheating or something, it was heartbreaking.” 

Despite the tough times, Van Veen persevered and gradually regained full control over his throw and mental game. 

World Youth champ Van Veen now incorporates a “ghost throw” into his routine to loosen his throwing arm—a lasting effect of his dartitis—which he has fully accepted as part of his preparation. 

He said: “I was embracing it instead of trying to get rid of it. I was learning to deal with it as I am playing.

“I started playing better, so my confidence grew and I was at a point where I was like, who cares what everyone thinks? It’s about you. You’re playing.

“You’re doing it for yourself. Of course, you want to make everyone proud, but you’re playing for yourself and if you lose, you’re going to be the only one who gets affected. 

“I think that’s what really helped me with my game. People still see me do the ghost throw. I think that’s what it’s called, just to get my arm loosened up.

“I think that’s still an effect of what dartitis did on me, because I didn’t do it before, but I’ve done it now.

“But I’m okay with that. I’m just embracing it.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.