Van den Bergh keeps feet firmly on the ground with darting fame: "I'm just an ordinary guy who has sacrificed a lot in life for darts"

Dimitri Van den Bergh made his complete breakthrough in the PDC in the past two years. However, The Dreammaker has not changed and remains with both feet firmly on the ground.

"In this sport it is especially important to keep both feet on the ground. I'm just an ordinary guy who has sacrificed a lot in life for darts. And I certainly don't want to deny my roots, I am also a proud citizen of Antwerp", Van den Bergh notes to the Belgian newspaper GVA.

Van den Bergh became a dad for the first time last December. "Since I have known Evi (Loyaerts, his girlfriend), my professional career is only going better. With Oonah, she also makes my second dream come true: a family of my own."

The 27-year-old Belgian has always loved darts. "My life has always revolved around darts. My mother was a great darts player and my father was on the Belgian national team. I was 2,5 years old when I threw my first darts. I spent my youth in darts bars. When I was older, my father and I regularly visited café Monty, the café of Kim Huybrechts' parents. Kim was already on the professional darts circuit at the time. He introduced me to it.

Van den Bergh surprisingly lost in his opening match at the last World Championships to German Florian Hempel. "You can be so good, but your opponents are also very good. I have been playing darts for over 25 years. I was even addicted for a while. I used to play with my best mate all night, without a break, until six in the morning."

In his early years, Van den Bergh had the nickname The White Tiger, but under the influence of his manager it became The Dreammaker. "I sacrificed a lot to make my dreams come true. Following my dreams' is tattooed on my arm. Patience, focus and passion, that's what this sport is all about."

Darts has become hugely popular in Belgium in a short space of time and Van den Bergh notices that too. "Although that fame always remains a bit unreal. I'm not a famous back at home, I'm just a good dart player. I will never change. When I do have that tendency, Evi puts me with both feet on the ground."