Images of Dutch darts player Gian van Veen are currently going viral online, reaching audiences well beyond the traditional darts community.
Van Veen faced Nathan Aspinall last weekend at the Winmau World Masters, where the two met in official competition. However, their encounter did not end there. Prior to their match, the pair also took part in a very different kind of contest—one that has since captured widespread attention on social media.
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As seen during the tournament, Van Veen defeated Aspinall 4–2, despite the Englishman recording a higher match average. Yet before stepping onto the main stage, the two players found themselves together on another platform. Although a dartboard was present, darts were not the main focus on this occasion.
Instead, they took part in a popular online challenge that has been circulating widely in recent weeks. While most attempts shared online tend to end unsuccessfully, Van Veen demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for the challenge, executing it flawlessly. As a result, footage of the moment has spread rapidly across the internet.
Van Veen’s run at the Winmau World Masters came to an end in the semifinals, where he was convincingly beaten 5–0 by Luke Humphries. The other semifinal produced a far more dramatic contest, as Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price went head-to-head in a tense battle.
The match remained finely balanced for a long time, eventually requiring a decisive 11th set and even a final deciding leg. In the end, it was Littler who prevailed, securing his place in yet another major final.
The final saw a familiar matchup, with Luke Littler facing Luke Humphries. Once again, Littler emerged victorious, adding another major title to his growing list of achievements. The closely fought final went down to a decisive last set, in which the 19-year-old produced a flawless performance, winning the set without dropping a single leg.
With this victory, Luke Littler has now claimed every major title—except one. The European Championship remains in the hands of Gian van Veen.