"I needed to prove to other people that I can play like this on the big stage": Doubters silenced as Wessel Nijman emerges with European Darts Trophy win

Wessel Nijman reached a massive milestone in his career on Sunday by winning the European Darts Trophy. The 25-year-old Dutchman enjoyed a sensational weekend in Göttingen, where a string of impressive displays and towering averages earned him his first big stage title. In the final he was too strong for Gerwyn Price, winning 8-3 to secure the top prize of £35,000.

For Nijman, the European Darts Trophy marked a breakthrough on the big stage. Over the past year and a half, the Dutchman had already built a reputation as one of the most successful players on the PDC floor circuit, but he had not yet shown that level so convincingly under the TV lights.

His tournament, however, began anything but easy. In his opening match against Cristo Reyes, Nijman had to dig deep to avoid an early exit. The Dutchman survived several tricky moments but ultimately came out on top. From that point, the engine truly roared into life.

On Saturday, Nijman took a convincing step towards the business end by beating Mike De Decker 6-2. That booked his place for the final day, where he would produce his best darts of the weekend.

Sunday began for Nijman with a statement of pure class against compatriot Gian van Veen. Averaging a remarkable 112.87, he left his opponent no chance and ran out a dominant 6-1 winner. It was the highest stage average of his career and a clear signal that Nijman was in peak form.

After wins in the quarterfinals against Josh Rock—where he narrowly missed a nine-darter—and in the semifinals against Niels Zonneveld, Nijman faced Gerwyn Price in the final. There too he showcased his quality once again. The deciding leg was one to remember, as Nijman produced a superb 150 checkout via double 18 to seal the title in style and bring the Göttingen crowd to its feet.

The release of emotion was huge afterwards. “I think there are no words to describe how I’m feeling right now,” Nijman said, visibly moved after his victory. “I felt so great all day long. I think you saw when I played Gian, Josh and Niels, I played so well."

As finals day unfolded, belief in the title kept growing. “I thought to myself: ‘This could be the day you win a title’, and I’m so happy I did.”

According to Nijman, his current form is partly down to the extra time he can now invest in the sport. “Since I stopped working, I’m feeling so confident,” Nijman continued. "I’m practising more and more now; I’ve never put this many hours in on the board."

Still, he felt a strong urge to prove himself on the big stage. “I didn’t need to prove anything to myself. I needed to prove to other people that I can play like this on the big stage. I’m doing it now in a European Tour event."

With this title, Nijman takes a big step towards his main goal for the season: a spot in the world’s top sixteen. "Hope I can do it in the biggest major events, so I can show the world that I’m capable of winning any event there is. The main goal this year was to get into the top 16 and be a seeded player in major tournaments, and I think this is a big step towards that.”