"Just started three years ago and already at the WDF World Masters" - The extraordinary story of the former girlfriend of World Snooker champion

While PDC's top stars were wrapping up the European Championship in Dortmund, the WDF World Darts Festival was getting underway in Budapest. A huge and prestigious tournament within the world of amateur darts. One of the notable names on the list of participants: Gaelle Dept, a 32-year-old Belgian player from Sint-Katelijne-Waver who has come a remarkable way in a short time. Three years ago she threw her first darts, and this week she is on the oche of an international stage.

"I've been through a lot, but I love doing the game so much," Dept told Het Nieuwsblad. Anyone who opens her Instagram page is greeted with the phrase "You might know me from darts" - a nod to her growing fame in the sport. By day she is an IT project manager at Umicore, but in her free time she lives for darts. "Sports are in my blood," she explains. "I play tennis, volleyball and I run regularly - most recently in Chicago - but my heart is in darts. I've always had some coordination, and because of that I got away with it pretty quickly, I guess."

Dept was in the spotlight a few years ago for a very different reason. She was the partner of snooker world champion Luca Brecel for five years. "That was about three and a half years ago now," she says soberly. "We broke up without a fight and each went our own way. I experienced the life of a top athlete up close, with all the travel, tournaments and pressure that comes with it. That was a learning period, but it's a closed chapter."

Today, she consciously chooses a quieter life with her current partner and plus son. "I like to keep my private life somewhat in the shade. Now it's my turn to grow, in my own way."

Her darts career began rather by accident. "I suddenly had time on Friday nights due to a change in volleyball league. A colleague asked if I wanted to join a league in a pub - pub darts, as they call it. At first I was a bit skeptical about it. I didn't immediately have the best image of that world, but I thought, why not?"

What began as a casual evening of relaxation became a revelation. "I just rolled into it. With no expectations, no goal. And I immediately won my first race. That was a huge surprise, both for myself and the rest. Not much later I threw my first 180 and a 105 finish. People were wondering: who the hell is this Gaelle?"

But success also brings pressure. "In the back round, people started saying to 'watch out for me.' And suddenly I felt the expectations, even from myself. I started training, but then things just didn't go as well. Darts is a mental game - I learned that quickly. I had to learn to deal with frustration, with the feeling that sometimes things just don't work out. But I kept going. That surprise effect, that game between fun and concentration, that remains the best thing about darts."

Yesterday, Dept was at the start of her biggest challenge to date: the World Masters in Budapest, with 5,000 euros in prize money for the winner. She qualified in an unusual, even tragic way.

"I was fifth in the Belgian ranking after six tournaments," she explained. "The top four got to go to Budapest, so I was just one leg short. In the end, I still got a spot because of the death of Peggy van Meir, who had finished third. She died unexpectedly in August, at the age of just 48, of a brain hemorrhage. That was a huge shock. Peggy was a wonderful person, always positive and loved by everyone. I will always call myself number five. This tournament I am playing for her."

Peggy's family is traveling with her to Budapest to honor her. "We're taking her energy with us. She had never flown herself before, so that makes it extra special. As a team, we will definitely keep her in mind."

Dept looks to the future with confidence. "I have improved tremendously in recent years. Technically, but especially mentally. I try to get the best out of it in the moment. If I feel 80 percent, I try to get 81 percent out of it. I don't compare myself to others anymore - that only creates frustration. The last arrow counts, that's my motto."

She has already won six tournaments, but keeps expectations realistic. "Obviously I can't match someone like Beau Greaves - but I don't have to. I just want to see how far I can hit. Every match is a learning experience."

Those who follow her on social media will see a different side of Dept. No standard photos or dry results, but creative, often humorous posts about life as a darter. "I try to portray darts in a fun way, without branding myself as an influencer. I think that's a weird concept. I'm also a little too old for that," she laughs.

"But I find that people appreciate my enthusiasm. Friends come off with ideas for videos or help me with content. Above all, I want to show how cool darts can be - with a wink, sometimes some self-mockery, but always authentic."

That approach opens new doors. "In November I get to be mastercaller at the Ghent Open, and later that month I present the Top of Darts exhibition tournament. I never would have dreamed of that a few years ago."

Still, the dart world remains a distinctly male bastion. "It's a huge man's world," Dept says honestly. "With women, it is difficult to get a large field of participants together. Whereas with men, 100 entries are the norm, with women it is often a challenge to find 16 or 24 participants."

She herself plays mostly against men, and that has made her better. "You learn faster, you have to be sharper. And most men like to give tips - although I don't take them from everyone," she laughs. "Too much information isn't good either. But when someone like Mike De Decker says something, I do listen. Because of him I use different flights now, and my arrows have been flying much better since then."

Yet she has also experienced the less fun aspects of the sport. "I've been called out for 'blonde tuttebel' at times. And when I win, some say it's 'luck.' There is a lot of jealousy, especially among women, but I let that go. Sometimes someone does shout something in a bar, especially if alcohol is involved. But I let that pass easily. I enjoy the game far too much to let that affect me."

What is less visible, but plays a big role in her achievements, is her health. Like darts icon Raymond van Barneveld, Gaelle Dept lives with type 1 diabetes. "I've had it for 21 years now, and yet it remains a challenge. Every day, every match is different. Adrenaline can make my sugar suddenly skyrocket, or just drop. That makes it difficult."

She does not drink alcohol - something that helps her stay stable. "For others that might be relaxation, but for me it would mess up my sugar levels even more. I always try to have something with me, like a banana or blueberries. After a long tournament day, I can feel really bad if I don't eat properly. It's not obvious to find healthy food during tournaments, but you do what you can."

The impact on her performance is significant. "If my sugar is too high, I literally don't see as well. And you don't just get that corrected. If it's too low, fortunately I can adjust pretty quickly with some quick sugars. There is fortunately understanding - if I need to, I just take a five or 10-minute break."

Sports also help her regulate her body better. "On the morning of a tournament, I often go running. That helps control my sugar better and I feel more energetic. The effect lasts for hours. It's my little panacea."

Whether she wins or loses, Gaelle Dept remains one of the most inspiring stories in the Belgian dart world. In just three years, she went from casual pub player to international competitor. She combines a demanding job, a family, a chronic illness and a sport that demands everything from her focus and discipline.

"My goal? Just keep growing," she concludes. "As long as I'm having fun, I'll keep throwing. And who knows where that will end up. The last arrow counts - always."

Incidentally, Dept lost all her group matches at the World Masters and thus failed to qualify for the knockout stage. On Friday, she will be back in action at the WDF World Open.