Home » Other Sports » Darts » Michael Van Gerwen – World Champion Darts
Darts

Michael Van Gerwen – World Champion Darts

Darts

Michael van Gerwen is a professional darts player from The Netherlands, who won on 1 January 2014 the PDC World Championship Darts and is the youngest PDC World Champion in the history of this sport. He is popular among darts fans from all over the world.  

The Dutch player, who is nicknamed ‘Mighty Mike’, started playing darts at the age of thirteen and darts experts saw already quickly that the Boxtel-born was talented. After having first won many youth tournaments, Michael van Gerwen made in 2005 the move to Men’s tournaments.

While winning several youth tournaments, he also won Norway Open and the Northern Ireland Open and he started to climb the rankings of the British Darts Organisation (BDO). In 2007, the young darts player switched, together with fellow countrymen Jelle Klaassen and Vincent van der Voort, to the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

After the switch to the PDC, Michael van Gerwen struggled to perform in a consistent way. Although he won several tournaments in the meantime, it was not until 2012 that he had his breakthrough year.

Van Gerwen’s Breakthrough Year 2012

The Dutch player had his breakthrough year in 2012. Van Gerwen won six Player Championship Tournaments, won the UK Open, was a finalist at the Grand Slam of Darts, reached the quarter finals at the World Matchplay tournament and was the winner of the World Grand Prix. At the PDC World Championship, Michael van Gerwen reached the last 16 players of the tournament and had a nine dart finish.

2013

The year after his breakthrough year, the talented and fast-throwing Van Gerwen continued winning various tournaments, which included UK Open and European Tour Tournaments and Player Championships. He also became the first player to finish the prestigious Premier League of Darts top of the table other than darts legend Phil Taylor. He also won the 2013 Premier League of Darts by beating Taylor in the final.

2014

2014 started for Michael van Gerwen in a very successful way: on the first day of the year, he won the PDC World Championship, by beating Peter Wright 7-4 in sets. Many people believe that the Dutchman will dominate the sport for years to come.

(Sources: Wiki, MichaelVanGerwen.nl)

Sport Categories