Speaking with Gian van Veen is always a pleasure, and one thing that springs to mind when describing the Dutchman is how level-headed he is.
An articulate and polite individual, van Veen has achieved so much in the sport in such a short space of time.
The pathway into the sport began humbly for Gian, and his route into darts came almost by chance, and resulted in instant success.
“I started playing darts at nine years old” said Gian.
“My parents would watch it on TV and I would watch with them. I played a little, but not much, and there was a local darts tournament on where I was playing football at the time, which was open to kids and adults. I won it in the end, and I was then invited to more events by local players, so that started the ball rolling”
“My earliest hero was Gary Anderson. I watched the 2011 World Championship, and even though Adrian Lewis won it, Gary was amazing and made the game look so easy. I was hooked”.
It wouldn’t be plain sailing though for Gian, who, along with success in the sport, was also facing a lengthy battle with the dreaded dartitis. Despite these crippling struggles, van Veen still captured Challenge Tour titles and would then be a serial winner on the PDC Development Tour.
“Dartitis started for me when I was around 14 or 15, and it only lasted for a couple of weeks. I didn’t really know what was happening. A lot of it was to do with my own self-confidence and doubt around my own game. It went away and then returned when I was 17 or 18. I was taking so long over every visit, and one opponent accused me of cheating during a Challenge Tour match. It hurt so much because I didn’t want to be in that situation, and it was really affecting my confidence”.
“The Development Tour and Challenge Tour have been massive for my career. My first title was on the Challenge Tour, and I did it with dartitis, but that and the Development Tour really grew my confidence by picking up wins and growing my game. To then eventually be called up for the Pro Tour and make a final without a card was incredible. I never thought I would be able to play let alone reach a final, so that grew my confidence even further”.
Van Veen didn’t hold a Tour Card when he came to wider attention in November 2022, reaching a Pro Tour final, where he would be defeated by Gerwyn Price. Two months later, he would line up at Q School, where he was widely expected to fly through the field to gain professional status. He would have to settle for a Card through the ranking system, but he fulfilled his dream, and was now on the main tour full-time.
“Getting a Tour Card was another massive achievement for me. Going in, I was a favourite to get one, but you still feel under massive pressure because of that, and on the back of a Pro Tour final. I was crying tears of joy, and was over the moon to be a Tour Card holder”.
Fast forward from January 2023 to present day, and van Veen has ticked many boxes that the sport has to offer. A two-time World Youth Champion, a winner on the Pro Tour and three-time Euro Tour finalist, the Poederoijen native was knocking on the door in the big TV tournaments, with 2025 seeing him make the quarter finals at both the UK Open and World Matchplay. His crowning glory would come in Dortmund in October, as he captured the European Championship in dramatic fashion, nailing a nerveless 100 checkout in a final-leg thriller against Luke Humphries to be crowned champion. Success is something that the 24-year-old doesn’t take for granted.
“I’m really proud of what I have achieved in such a short space of time. To be World number three just three and a half years into being a Tour Card holder, as well as being in the Premier League, a Major title winner and a World finalist is definitely something I wouldn’t have expected. I’m so happy and grateful for all I’ve achieved, and I still pinch myself”.
“2025 was a real breakthrough year for me. Averages-wise, my numbers were brilliant, and I was making later stages on the Pro Tour and Euro Tour regularly. That weekend at the European Championship, everything clicked, and the 100 checkout to take the title was the stuff of dreams. That gave me the confidence to go on and do well in other TV majors, and gave me the belief that I could do big things and perform at the highest level on the big stage”.
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Then came the World Championship, a tournament that had proved to be van Veen’s nemesis in the two previous editions that he had played in. Defeats to Man Lok Leung and Ricardo Pietreczko had scarred him, and many felt the pressure was on again due to his recent big-stage success. Cristo Reyes was hardly an ideal first opponent, but he went from strength to strength, making a dream maiden Ally Pally final.
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Although it wasn’t to be in the end, with Luke Littler sweeping to a second world crown, van Veen looks back with fondness, and puts into perspective his subsequent achievements in making the Premier League and rising to World number three, as well as usurping Michael van Gerwen as the premier Dutch dartist.
“Winning a game was the main priority at Ally Pally! As soon as I beat Cristo Reyes in the first round, that gave me all the confidence I needed, and that showed in how I played against Alan (Soutar) in round two. Although the final didn’t go the way I wanted, I was so proud of the wins against Luke Humphries and Gary Anderson, and it was an amazing experience overall”.
“To be World number three is fantastic. I’m also proud of being Dutch number one, and to make my first Premier League is also very special. I loved being part of the Premier League. The results were disappointing, but I enjoyed it all. Theres a lot of travel and media, but I enjoyed it, and I would love to be back in 2027”.
Images: PDC / Jenny Segers (main)
