"Do you know what I won there? A DVD player" - Michael van Gerwen reminisces about his early years as a dart player
PDC
Michael van Gerwen has won just about everything there is to win in the world of darts over the course of his career. The 35-year-old Dutchman will hunt for his fourth world title at the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship. 'Mighty Mike' is seeded third at Alexandra Palace this year and will take on the winner of the duel between James Hurrell and Jim Long in his opening match.
Van Gerwen has been at the top of the darts world for nearly 20 years now. But does he remember his first stage experience? "That was in youth, the Primus Masters. Do you know what I won there? A DVD player," Van Gerwen told Viaplay. "Every top darter starts at the bottom with local tournaments with crazy prizes. Now it's much more attractive financially, but I remember our first days..."
"You'll never believe it, but do you know who I lost to in the final? By 5-0...," Van Gerwen asks aloud to the experienced Dutch darts commentator Jacques Nieuwlaat. Van der Voort, also a guest on the programme, knows the answer immediately.
''He was really brilliant in youth," "he's now a colleague of yours at Viaplay," and "he can't do much of anything now," are some of the hints given by Van Gerwen and Van der Voort. Nieuwlaat mulls it over, but in the end Van Gerwen himself has to reveal that he lost that final to Jerry Hendriks.
Hendriks has been active as an analyst at major darts tournaments for some time, previously at RTL and now at Viaplay. In the past he was active himself at the World Darts Championship, just remember his legendary walk-on during the 2017 World Darts Championship, where he lost 3-0 to Peter Wright.
Van Gerwen meanwhile, gets his latest World Darts Championship quest underway on Friday, December 20th against either Hurrell or Long.
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- This coming from the lowest ranked player in it who was only selected by his paranoia for attention from the crowd by having to conduct the crowd to his walk on music. I know a lot of darts fans who cannot stand Arsepinall, oddly I know people who don't like darts but frequently attend events for the atmosphere and have no idea who was playing. So for all the whining players not selected, change your walk on music and pathetically beg for affection from the crowd....please cheer for me ohhh please cheer.richieburnettrocks11-01-2025
- A floor layer called Bissell …. Be looking to hoover up the titles.Mysstree10-01-2025
- "For the past 20 years, the Grand Prix winner was there every time" Because all former winners were Top 8 players, as simple as that. "Now they say you get into the Premier League based on results. So apparently that's not the case" Results ? You just have ONE result over 2 years. Without these 3 days wonders, you wouldn't be Top 32... "Aspinall and Price. They didn't deserve it" Maybe, but never seems that you do. Other players must be picked before.cycyP309-01-2025
- Premier League is nothing more now than a pantomime where the crowd turn up and boo at the villain and cheer on the hero while getting pissed out their brains. Basically its the WWE of darts.Mysstree09-01-2025
- Is this the start of an attempt to say that he (Littler) is the best ever as he has won most money. Perhaps adjust all prize money earned by allowing for inflation. If Littler gets close too (does not even have to overtake) both MVG’s and Taylor’s Major titles total then he is in the conversation. Indicates to me that the prize money is skewed to much towards the top players, meritocracy must rule but a fair distribution of the money is needed otherwise its only ever about a select few.Mysstree09-01-2025
- £500 for 3 games seems so steep especially for those that lost 5-0 each time. I used to think Conan Whitehead was going to be a great player and was improving through the BDO but has just fizzled outrichieburnettrocks09-01-2025
- COME ON RICHIE BURNETT Safely through to the final stage an closing in on that card.richieburnettrocks09-01-2025
- It is shocking and unbelievable that 2 Hotty who was always such a decent player, 2 time World Champion and won the Grand Slam when it meant something. He really should have joined the PDC earlier. He has just disappeared off the radar. Such a shame when one of your favourite players just dissappears. I guess he is concentrating on the carpentry. I made a sign at Lakeside which must have been the biggest ever. It said we're potty for 2 Hotty, each word was on its own flip chart sheet of paper and gaffer taped together. Maybe Scotty should return to the WDF or whatever it is now.richieburnettrocks09-01-2025
- What the hell has happened to Scott Waites, didn’t even win a point.Mysstree08-01-2025