Emerging Dutch darts talent Gian van Veen has recalled his experience with the sport’s most dreaded affliction – dartitis.
The term is used to describe the ‘yips’ in darts when a player is physiologically unable to release their arrow during their throw.
Nathan Aspinall has suffered with the disruption, as did the legendary five-time world champion Eric Bristow.
But rarely have things been so public as they were for 23-year-old Van Veen.
He recalled on Huw Ware’s Tops and Tails podcast, per The Sun: “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, crying my eyes out in the middle of Barnsley Metrodome because I was struggling so badly.
“And for my opponent to tell me I was cheating or something – it was heartbreaking.”
In Bristow’s case, his bout of dartitis led towards the end of his career. For Aspinall, the opposite happened as he went on to have the best year of his career in 2025.
Thankfully for Van Veen, he’s fallen into the latter category, as he explained: “The weird thing is, I played better through it. I started averaging like 85 with dartitis.
“But when I got rid of it, I averaged 92, 93, because in my head, I was like, ‘You’re not going to release the dart until you’re 100 per cent sure you’re going to hit the target.’
“So it took a while, but I started playing better, winning more games, and that massively grew my confidence.
“And that’s how I eventually got rid of it.”
Aspinall’s dartitis struggles
Aspinall has come through the other side even more recently, admitting he considered quitting over the mental block earlier this year.
‘Asp’ would win his maiden PDC European Tour title in March and then his first Premier League nightly win of the year in April.
“I spoke to Wayne [Mardle] before, and I have got a few issues and sometimes it doesn’t look pretty on TV, but I found a way to cope with it,” he said on his struggles.
“It affects me, but I’m winning, and I’m winning tournaments and you either quit and give up and go home, or you own it and you make it part of the game and that’s what I’ve decided to do.
“And you know what? I’m so happy. I’m in a really good place. I’m winning.”
Aspinall then revealed: “And tonight, you know what? Five weeks ago. Well, I was really struggling. I said to Kirsty [his wife], ‘I can’t be doing this anymore.’
“And then the last three weeks proved why I’m still playing darts because I’m one of the best players in the world.
“I’ve been through an absolutely horrendous two years. I’m a fighter, I’m a warrior. People call me a Jack Russell and I think that’s why I’m here. But I don’t know when I’m beaten.
“I will never ever give up and these last three weeks have proved why.”
The next great Dutch darts hope
Van Veen is looking for a similar ascent, and appears to be on course to do so after career best finishes at the World Championship, World Matchplay and UK Open in 2025.
The former Youth World Champion also racked up famous wins against the two best in the world rankings, Luke Littler at the World Cup of Darts and Luke Humphries at the World Matchplay.
With the Netherlands one of the world’s premier countries when it comes to the sport, there’s pressure on the No.18 ranked star to carry the mantle, but he’s keeping it cool for now.
“I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘I’m going to win five world titles’,” ‘The Giant’ explained. “I’ll be very happy with my career if I win one.
“I think so far, my career’s already been very successful. But yeah, I’d love to top it off – whether it’s in 20, 25, 30 years – with a world title.
“Doesn’t matter if it’s next year or in ten or 15 years. Just win one, and I’ll be very satisfied.”