Dutch Darts Player Van Veen Stuns Competition to Claim European Championship Title
Dortmund, Germany – An unexpected champion emerged at the 2024 European darts Championship, as Dutch player Niels van Veen secured a remarkable victory, overcoming a painful hand injury and a field of seasoned professionals. The 23-year-old defeated top contenders to claim his first major PDC title in a thrilling final held Sunday evening.
Van Veen’s triumph is a significant upset in the darts world, marking the arrival of a new force and signaling a potential shift in the competitive landscape. The victory earns him a coveted spot among Europe’s elite and sets the stage for a compelling rivalry wiht established stars like Michael van gerwen. The win also underscores the growing depth of talent within the PDC circuit,where emerging players are increasingly challenging the dominance of long-time favorites.
The path to victory wasn’t without obstacles for van Veen.He battled through a debilitating cut sustained during throw readiness, impacting his grip and accuracy. “I use a pretty hard Diamondgrip, but there was a sharp edge that cut into my finger. It didn’t hurt, but the blood was everywhere on my thumb and index finger – exactly where I hold the dart,” van veen explained. “Especially in the semi-final against Michael (van Gerwen), they kept slipping out of my hand. The first five legs I just struggled.”
Despite the discomfort,van Veen persevered,capitalizing on missed opportunities from his opponents. “Michael missed his chances, and I took mine. In the final, I told myself, ‘Forget about it. Do what you can to dry the blood so it doesn’t affect your game.’ It was still difficult in the first few legs, especially on the doubles, but after that, I tried not to think about it – and it worked.”
Earlier in the tournament, 19-year-old Luke Littler’s run was halted in the quarter-finals by James Wade, delaying the young Englishman’s pursuit of his first European Championship title.
From a German perspective, ricardo Pietreczko delivered the strongest performance, reaching the quarter-finals before falling to Danny Noppert - a repeat of his result from the previous year.
[Image of Niels van Veen celebrating with fans, captioned: “Van Veen is celebrated by the German fans. Photo: Bernd Thissen/dpa”]
