On Friday, begin his 31st participation in the
World Darts Championship. It is the last day of the first period of the World Darts Championship, after which the tournament is traditionally interrupted for three days for the Christmas break.
The PDC's made schedule does not suit the 56-year-old Dutchman badly. Van Barneveld recently acquired a new set-up on his darts, giving 'Barney' some extra time to train with them.
The first results of the training sessions are promising. ''We really have the perfect set-up now,'' Van Barneveld said in conversation with De Telegraaf. ''I'm throwing really great with it, full of conviction, and I'm strong in my head.''
The five-time world champion's new set-up is a new product from his equipment sponsor Target. With the so-called K-flex, the flight and shaft are permanently attached to each other. ''I spent a year begging for them to make that for me. That then came out in a narrow flight shape, but I always throw with size 6 (a wider flight, ed.).''
''I got a test set from Japan now and it looks formidable,'' Van Barneveld stated. ''Last Saturday I won a tournament in Magdeburg, with former world champions like Steve Beaton, Glen Durrant, Mark Webster, Martin Adams and Gerwyn Price was also there. The Friday before in Cologne I lost to Michael van Gerwen 4-2 in front of 11,000 fans, but this feels really good. We're going to hit the ground running."
Van Barneveld has an exemption in the first round of the World Darts Championship. The winner of the duel between Radek Szaganski and Marko Kantele will be his opponent in the second round. After that, a duel with two-time world champion Peter Wright possibly awaits.
''That could also have been Luke Humphries,'' Van Barneveld realized. ''But Wright also just became European champion two months ago.... Good performances at the World Darts Championship, keep me in that top-32. And preferably make the step to that top-16, because then you are also assured of participation in all major tournaments. That's the goal.''