"There are highlights on YouTube that I still watch every two days": Mike de Decker still looks back at World Grand Prix triumph with fondness

Mike de Decker signed terms with Mission Darts in a long term partnership after leaving the German company Bull's and he spoke with great enthusiasm about joining the brand who he hopes can propel him further.

De Decker won't have been short on offers. He won the World Grand Prix last year and heading towards the top 16 in the world, he is wanting to set himself up as a member of the darting elite.

“Mission is a company on the rise. They have good ideas and they're growing," said De Decker to Mission Darts.

"It was a combination of things that made up my mind to join Mission. They've made a really good dart for me and they have been really supportive. I think it will be a really good partnership."

He also joins Lex Paeshuyse on the team with the young Belgian going from strength to strength. He was lauded by De Decker. "He's a really kind young man. A bit shy at times. But really respectful. He's smart for his age as well. He's a big talent."

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He looked back on his darting career as a whole and going from thinking he made it by winning his Tour Card to the dejection of needing to go back to Q-School. A route followed by many top names including Nathan Aspinall now who famously had very little money and fell off the tour in a rags to riches tale.

"It's been a lot of ups and downs. I got on tour in 2016 and then being young and I wasn't grown up I thought we're at the ProTour, we made it. That's where the hard work starts. I didn't do enough work and I lost my card in 2017 and being back on the Challenge Tour and Q-School opened my eyes that I needed to take it more professionally. In 2020 I got my card back and that's when it kick started my career. Last year was my breakthrough."

"It opened my eyes that I needed to do more, live a bit healthier, waking up at a normal time instead of 2-3 in the afternoon so it definitely opened my eyes (losing his Tour Card)."

But after losing in the first year he played at the World Championship, De Decker returned thinking his card was safe the year after against Darius Labanauskas and it wasn't but it gave him the solace he needed.

"I was a bit lucky as I got a call-up. I was first reserve. I thought with qualifying for the World's that I was already safe for the year after. But I wasn't. I needed to win that game but I didn't know so I was relaxed. I think that's why I won that game."

Mike de Decker won the World Grand Prix last year after years of toiling.

Following that, he qualified for the World Matchplay and World Grand Prix for the first time and after winning his first ProTour, he had the confidence to excel.

"Being on a big major for the first time, it's something new and you need to get used to the environment, the crowd and doing the interviews. I'm a bigger player now than I was in 2023. Not only in my game but with all the other stuff like interviews and pictures."

"I said to my friends the next step (after winning a ProTour) was going to be a European Tour. I kind of skipped that step."

So much so that he went on to win the World Grand Prix last October in Leicester and again it was one that he merely wanted to make tracks with in regards to winning his first game.

"There are some highlights on YouTube that I still watch every two days. It was a funny tournament because before I said I just want to survive the first round. I kind of got tired of losing in the first round."

"Against Damon, we played a brilliant game and coming out of top I think settled me for the rest of the week. Six months before that I would've lost that game 100%. That game gave me the confidence I can do bigger things."

"I had the ability on the floor for the last four or five years, now I can finally bring it on the big stage and show the world what I can do."

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