"I compare myself to my idol, James Wade" - Incredible story of 20-year-old Belgian finally winning on Dev Tour after 26 straight defeats

The PDC Development Tour offers young players aged 16 to 24 a platform to compete and progress in professional darts. One such player is 20-year-old Belgian Seppe Van Overbeke, who is chasing his dream of becoming a professional. His perseverance is undeniable - after enduring 26 consecutive first-round exits, he recently secured his first-ever victory on the Development Tour.

However, Van Overbeke is absent from this weekend’s Development Tour events. “I work at the clothing store America Today, and I was called in to cover for someone this week. It’s unfortunate, but in a way, it works out fine,” he told Het Nieuwsblad.

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A passionate darts player, Van Overbeke plays frequently but faced a setback due to injury. “In January last year, a doctor informed me that I had been struggling with an injury for some time—a tennis elbow. I had switched to 21-gram darts, which forced me to alter my throw. I had to apply more force, unknowingly damaging my elbow. I only competed in two weekends last year. It was pointless to travel when I could barely average 50. I decided to rest, and I’ve only been pain-free since October. Occasionally, I still hear cracking in my elbow from residual fluid, but it doesn’t bother me.”

Despite his losing streak, Van Overbeke never doubted himself. “I always stayed positive. Even if training didn’t go well or I sensed during warm-up that it wasn’t my day, I kept believing. Giving up isn’t in my vocabulary. I knew what the issue was, so I accepted it and pushed through, knowing I’d come out stronger. Now, I use Scope darts from Target, with a thicker 24-gram barrel. My level is improving quickly - I’m consistently averaging over 70 and even peaking around 85 at times. I’m still adjusting, so missing this weekend in England isn’t a disaster. By May, I want to be fully settled with my new darts and play with confidence.”

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Nicknamed ‘The Starwalker,’ Van Overbeke truly embraced competitive darts two years ago at the Belgian Championship. “I finished 33rd,” he recalls. “That’s when I made the decision to start playing tournaments seriously. Decla and CLABET noticed me and offered sponsorship, which kickstarted everything.”

While Van Overbeke receives strong support from his family, traveling to international tournaments is costly. “My parents can’t take time off work to accompany me to England, but they follow my progress closely. It’s not a big issue, though—only one companion per player is allowed in the venue anyway. Fortunately, the Belgian players get along well, so I often travel with Lennert Faes or Arjen Degryse. We share expenses, which makes things easier. Sometimes we drive and take the ferry to Milton Keynes. In September, I’ll fly to Wigan. To cover costs, I save all my prize money from local tournaments and even organize my own annual darts event to fund my trips to the Development Tour.”

Van Overbeke’s focus for the coming months is clear. “My goal is to compete in the European Tour qualifier in Antwerp this August. Now that my tennis elbow is no longer an issue, I also want to earn prize money on the Development Tour. Reaching the last 32 or even the last 16 in a field of around 400 players would be incredible. And who knows, maybe I’ll qualify for the World Youth Championship someday. I have four more years to try. Not everyone is a Luke Littler or a new Lex Paeshuyse - they are in a league of their own. I prefer to compare myself to my idol, James Wade. He remains calm and, even after a few difficult years, has bounced back with a UK Open final and a Belgian Darts Open semi-final this year.”

With renewed confidence, fresh equipment, and valuable experience under his belt, Seppe Van Overbeke is determined to make his mark on the darts world.

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