When you’re 24, ranked inside the world’s top 16, and already nicknamed “The Giant,” the last thing you expect is to be knocked sideways by a kidney stone. For Gian van Veen, the 2026 season became a story not just of darting brilliance—his run to a World Championship final announced him as a genuine threat—but of two very human interruptions: a past battle with dartitis and a sudden medical emergency that forced him out of Premier League Darts in Dublin.

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Age: 24 (born 23 April 2002) ·
Nationality: Netherlands ·
Premier League Position: 4th (after six nights, March 2026) ·
Nickname: The Giant

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact net worth and prize money breakdown
  • Precise timeline of his bout with dartitis
  • Details of any personal disagreement with Luke Littler
  • Height and relationship partner
3Timeline signal
4What’s next

Six facts from his career so far tell the story of a player rising fast but facing hurdles that test more than his throwing arm:

Full name Pieter Gerard van Veen
Born 23 April 2002 (age 24)
Birthplace Poederoijen, Netherlands
Nickname The Giant
World ranking Top 16 (2026)
Premier League position (March 2026) 4th

The pattern: Van Veen’s rapid ascent is matched by obstacles that test his physical and mental resilience.

What condition does Gian van Veen have?

Van Veen has openly discussed his past struggle with dartitis—a psychological condition that affects a player’s ability to release the dart smoothly. Speaking during the World Darts Championship, he described the challenges he faced and how he worked through the issue to reach the top level (Wikipedia (public encyclopedia)). Dartitis is not a physical injury but a loss of fine motor control under pressure, often compared to the yips in golf.

Why this matters

Overcoming dartitis as a teenager and then reaching a World Championship final at 23 shows mental resilience that separates elite competitors from the rest. For Van Veen, the condition is a chapter in his past, but its shadow still informs how he handles high-pressure moments.

Did Van Veen suffer from dartitis?

  • Yes—he spoke about it in interviews during the 2025/2026 World Darts Championship, confirming he had dealt with dartitis earlier in his career (Wikipedia (public encyclopedia)).
  • He is one of a small number of professional darts players to publicly acknowledge the condition.

Bottom line: Gian van Veen conquered dartitis to become a top-16 player. For aspiring players and fans, his story is proof that mental obstacles can be overcome with the right support and determination.

How old is Gian van Veen?

Gian van Veen was born on , making him 24 years old as of March 2026 (Wikipedia (public encyclopedia)). At 24, he is one of the youngest players in the Premier League Darts field.

Bottom line: Youth plus experience—Van Veen has already packed a World Championship final and a Premier League top-four start into his early twenties, suggesting his best years are still ahead.

Why did Gian van Veen withdraw from Premier League Darts?

On , the PDC announced that Van Veen had been diagnosed with kidney stones and would not compete in Night Seven of the BetMGM Premier League in Dublin (PDC (professional darts governing body)). He was scheduled to face Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals; instead, van Gerwen received a bye to the semi-finals and earned two league points plus a plus-one leg difference (RTÉ (Irish public service broadcaster)). Van Veen’s own leg difference went to minus six as a result of the no-show (RTÉ).

After the withdrawal, he underwent surgery to remove the stones and missed a subsequent European Tour event in Belgium (ESPN (US sports media)). Van Veen told ESPN that the recovery required patience but that he was “doing everything possible” to return for Night Eight in Berlin (ESPN).

The trade-off

A single kidney stone cost Van Veen points and leg difference at a critical stage of the Premier League. The math is harsh: he entered Night Seven fourth in the table, but the automatic minus-six leg difference and zero points could dent his push for a play-off spot—especially if he misses additional weeks.

The implication: Van Veen’s recovery timeline will determine whether his top-four start becomes a play-off reality or a missed opportunity.

How did Gian van Veen reach the World Championship final?

Van Veen’s breakout moment came at the 2025/2026 PDC World Darts Championship, where he defeated Gary Anderson in a stunning semi-final to book his place in the title match (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)). The run established him as a genuine contender on the biggest stage, even though he fell short in the final.

The experience, combined with his prior struggles with dartitis, made the achievement resonate beyond just the result. Van Veen had proven he could perform at the highest level under immense pressure.

Bottom line: Beating a legend like Gary Anderson to reach a World Championship final at age 23 vaulted Van Veen from promising talent to top-tier threat. The next step is converting those deep runs into titles.

What is Gian van Veen’s position in the Premier League Darts?

After six nights of the 2026 Premier League season, Van Veen sat in 4th place, having finished as runner-up three times (RTÉ (Irish public service broadcaster)). His consistent performances—three second-place finishes from six events—placed him firmly in the play-off conversation. The kidney stone episode, however, put that hard-earned position at risk.

The Premier League season runs until the finale at The O2 on (Sky Sports). Whether Van Veen can recover his momentum after the forced interruption will determine if his 4th-place start becomes a play-off reality or a missed opportunity. You can find more information about the Inter Miami CF classification in the MLS here: Inter Miami CF classificació MLS

What to watch

Van Veen’s return in Berlin is the immediate checkpoint. If he plays and wins, he stabilises his table position. If complications force another withdrawal, he could slide out of the top four—and the play-off spots—while his rivals rack up points.

Timeline: Gian van Veen’s 2026 season

  • : Born in Poederoijen, Netherlands (Wikipedia)
  • 2025/2026: Discussed his past dartitis during the World Darts Championship (Wikipedia)
  • Early 2026: Reached his first World Championship final, beating Gary Anderson (Sky Sports)
  • : Withdrew from Premier League Darts Night Seven in Dublin due to kidney stones (PDC)
  • Late March 2026: Underwent kidney stone surgery and missed European Tour event in Belgium (ESPN)
  • Target: April 2026: Aiming to return for Premier League Darts Berlin (Night Eight) (ESPN)

Confirmed facts and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Birth name, date, and birthplace (Wikipedia)
  • Nickname “The Giant” (PDC)
  • Premier League withdrawal due to kidney stones (PDC)
  • World Championship final against Gary Anderson (Sky Sports)
  • Past dartitis discussion (Wikipedia)

What remains unclear

  • Exact net worth and prize money totals
  • Specific timeline and severity of the dartitis condition
  • Nature of any rumoured disagreement with fellow Dutch player Luke Littler
  • Height and information about his partner

Quotes: Van Veen and the PDC on the kidney stone episode

“I’m doing everything I can to be back in Berlin. It’s frustrating, but I have to be patient. The surgery went well and now it’s about recovery.”

— Gian van Veen, quoted by ESPN

“Gian van Veen has withdrawn from Night Seven of the BetMGM Premier League in Dublin after being diagnosed with kidney stones. He will remain in hospital and we wish him a speedy recovery.”

— Official PDC statement, via PDC

Van Veen’s 2026 season is a story of peaks and interruptions. He showed he can compete with the world’s best by reaching a World Championship final and climbing to fourth in the Premier League table. Then a common medical issue—kidney stones—derailed his momentum at a critical moment. The surgery is behind him, the target is Berlin, and the question is whether he can reclaim the form that made him the breakout star of the year. For Dutch darts fans and neutrals alike, the next few weeks will reveal if “The Giant” can stand tall again.

Related reading: kidney stones diagnosis · Premier League Darts

Additional sources

flashscore.com, facebook.com, x.com

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Frequently asked questions

What is dartitis?

Dartitis is a psychological condition that affects a darts player’s ability to release the dart smoothly. It is similar to the yips in golf and can cause involuntary hesitation or freezing during the throw (Wikipedia).

How many 180s did Gian van Veen hit in the World Championship final?

Exact 180 counts for the final have not been confirmed in the available sources. What is known is that his overall tournament performance included multiple maximum scores across earlier rounds.

What is Gian van Veen’s nickname?

His nickname is “The Giant” (PDC).

Who is Gian van Veen’s partner?

Van Veen keeps his personal life private. No confirmed information about a partner is publicly available.

What is Gian van Veen’s height?

His height has not been officially disclosed. Unlike many sports, darts does not routinely publish player height statistics.

How many tournament titles has Gian van Veen won?

Van Veen has won several junior and development tour events, but his first major senior title is still pending. He reached the World Championship final in 2026, his biggest achievement to date.

Is Gian van Veen left-handed or right-handed?

He throws right-handed (Wikipedia).