Gian van Veen Darts – “The Giant” Red Dragon Darts at Diplomatgames

Gian van Veen is one of the biggest risers in modern PDC darts. Nicknamed "The Giant," the Dutchman developed from a Development Tour talent to one of the world's best players within a few years. In 2025, he won his first major PDC TV title, the European Championship, then defended his World Youth Championship title, and reached the World Championship final for the first time at the PDC World Darts Championship 2025/26. There, he was only defeated by Luke Littler.

As of August 2026, the PDC ranks Gian van Veen at world number 3. This makes The Giant currently the highest-ranked Dutchman and definitively part of the absolute PDC elite.

When it comes to equipment, Van Veen represents Red Dragon Darts. His well-known match setup is based on a relatively short and slender 21-gram parallel barrel made of 90% tungsten. Red Dragon now offers several signature models, including the classic Gian Van Veen Dart and the technically more modern TE 90% Switch Point Edition.

At Diplomatgames, you'll find Gian van Veen darts and matching accessories. But which darts does Gian van Veen play, how many grams does The Giant use, and what makes his fast, fluid playing style so dangerous? Here you'll learn more about the career, successes, equipment, and development of one of the most exciting Dutch dart professionals.

Gian van Veen Profile

Name: Gian van Veen
Nickname: The Giant
Birthday: April 23, 2002
Nationality: Netherlands
Throwing hand: Right
Dart manufacturer: Red Dragon Darts
Known match weight: 21 grams
Signature darts: Red Dragon Gian van Veen
Tungsten: 90%
Barrel shape: Parallel / Straight
PDC World Ranking: Number 3, as of August 2026
European Championship: Winner 2025
PDC World Championship: Finalist 2026
PDC World Youth Championship: Winner 2024 and 2025
First PDC ranking title: Players Championship 6 in 2025
Walk-on: “Astronomia” by Tony Igy & Vicetone.

Who is Gian van Veen?

Gian van Veen was born in 2002 and belongs to an extremely strong new generation of Dutch dart players.

His rise came through the Development Tour, the PDC's youth series.

His greatest strength quickly became apparent:

high scoring at a very high pace.

Van Veen appears remarkably natural at the oche. His darts follow relatively quickly one after another, without his throw looking rushed.

This combination made him extremely dangerous even in the junior ranks.

The Rise on the Development Tour

Van Veen initially developed into one of the dominant players on the PDC Development Tour.

There, he collected numerous tournament victories and qualified more and more often for events on the regular PDC Tour.

His talent was quickly obvious.

The question was not whether he would make it to the top of the world.

It was more about how quickly.

The answer:

very quickly.

Gian van Veen Becomes World Youth Champion

In 2024, Van Veen won the:

PDC World Youth Championship for the first time.

In 2025, he defended his title.

In the 2025 final, he faced Beau Greaves, who had previously eliminated Luke Littler, among others.

Van Veen won the final with:

6:3.

This made The Giant the:

two-time PDC World Youth Champion.

The successful title defense, in particular, shows how consistently Van Veen played within his generation.

First PDC Ranking Title in 2025

On March 12, 2025, Van Veen took the next important step.

At Players Championship 6, he played his way into the final.

His opponent:

Luke Humphries.

Van Veen won surprisingly clearly with:

8:3.

This secured his first PDC ranking title on the regular ProTour.

From this moment on, it was clear:

The Giant was no longer just a youth player with potential.

He could win regular PDC professional tournaments.

European Champion 2025

The most important individual title so far followed in October 2025.

At the European Championship, Van Veen played an outstanding tournament.

In the final, he once again met Luke Humphries.

And again, the Dutchman won.

This made Gian van Veen:

European Champion 2025.

It was his first major televised PDC title.

The success catapulted him definitively into the absolute world elite.

Why the European Championship Title Was So Important

Players Championships are important ranking tournaments.

However, a major TV event has even greater significance.

Van Veen proved in 2025 that he can win even under:

TV pressure, a large audience, and over longer match distances

Especially remarkable was his record against Luke Humphries.

The PDC reported in early 2026 that Van Veen had won all four direct duels against Humphries in 2025 – including the European Championship final.

This is an extraordinary streak against a former world champion.

Gian van Veen's Greatest Successes

His most important career successes include:

• European Champion 2025
• PDC World Championship Finalist 2026
• PDC World Youth Champion 2024
• PDC World Youth Champion 2025
• first PDC ranking title at Players Championship 6 in 2025
• numerous Development Tour titles
• several ProTour finals
• currently PDC world ranking number 3.

And Van Veen is only 24 years old in August 2026.

His career is therefore far from having reached its peak.

Gian van Veen at the PDC World Championship 2026

The PDC World Darts Championship 2025/26 became the next major milestone.

Van Veen entered the tournament as the reigning European Champion.

Already in the second round, he showed his quality.

Against Alan Soutar, The Giant played an average of:

108.28 points.

This made him one of the most noticeable players in the early rounds of the World Championship.

But he was to go much further.

The Victory Against Luke Humphries

In the quarterfinals, Van Veen met Luke Humphries.

Again, The Giant delivered an outstanding match.

Van Veen played an average of 105.41 points, threw eleven 180s, and moved into the World Championship semifinals.

This continued his remarkable winning streak against Humphries.

In the semifinals, a true dart legend then awaited.

Gian van Veen Beats Gary Anderson

In the World Championship semi-final, The Giant met:

Gary Anderson.

The two-time world champion himself played a strong tournament.

But Van Veen prevailed with:

6:3 in sets

and reached the final of the PDC World Championship for the first time.

At just 23 years old, the Dutchman thus stood in the most important final of darts.

World Championship Final Against Luke Littler

In the final, Van Veen met defending champion:

Luke Littler.

This pitted two players against each other who symbolically represent the new PDC generation.

Littler ultimately prevailed and defended his world title.

For Van Veen, however, he remained:

PDC World Championship Finalist 2026.

This run also gave him an enormous leap in the world rankings.

Gian van Veen is World Number 3

After his successes in 2025 and the 2026 World Championship final, Van Veen rose to:

Number 3 in the PDC Order of Merit.

This puts him currently even ahead of:

Michael van Gerwen.

For Dutch darts, this is remarkable.

Van Gerwen dominated Dutch darts for over a decade practically automatically as the highest-ranked Dutchman.

Now, the Netherlands has a new top-3 player in Gian van Veen.

What is Gian van Veen's Playing Style?

Van Veen's playing style is:

fast, fluid, offensive, and extremely high-scoring.

He doesn't take an excessive amount of time between his darts.

Nevertheless, the throw doesn't appear rushed.

The movement is clean and reproducible.

Red Dragon explicitly describes his current darts as a setup for:

speed and control

as well as for a fast, fluid throw.

Exactly what suits The Giant.

A Modern Power Scorer

Van Veen belongs to the new generation of professionals for whom:

100-plus-averages

are by no means exceptional.

His 108.28 average at the World Championship against Alan Soutar is a good example.

Against Luke Humphries in the World Championship quarterfinals, he played 105.41 and hit eleven maximums.

When Van Veen finds his rhythm, he can put opponents under extreme scoring pressure at high speed.

Which Darts Does Gian van Veen Play?

Gian van Veen plays:

Red Dragon Darts.

Red Dragon carries a complete signature series under his name.

His known match weight is:

21 grams.

Particularly current is the:

Gian van Veen TE 90% Switch Point 21g.

Red Dragon explicitly refers to this model as his Signature Playing Darts.

How Many Grams Does Gian van Veen Play?

Gian van Veen plays:

21 grams.

This makes The Giant one of the players with a lighter steel-tip setup.

However, 21 grams is still absolutely classic for professional steel-tip darts.

For comparison:

Many professionals are usually between 21 and 24 grams.

Van Veen is therefore at the lower end of this range.

Who are Gian van Veen Darts Suitable For?

Gian van Veen darts can be particularly interesting if you:

• prefer a parallel or straight barrel,
• play lighter steel-tip darts,
• prefer approximately 21 grams,
• want a compact barrel,
• like Micro Grip rather than extremely aggressive Shark Grip,
• have a fast and fluid throw,
• or are a fan of The Giant.

Especially players with a quick release might find the barrel concept interesting.

21g or 24g – Which Gian van Veen Darts?

If you want to stay as close as possible to Van Veen's known match setup, then:

21 grams

is the obvious choice.

However, the classic signature dart is also available in:

24 grams

If you currently play 23 or 24 grams, you don't necessarily have to reduce your weight by three grams.

The same basic barrel idea is also available in a heavier weight.

Gian van Veen and Red Dragon

Gian van Veen is part of Red Dragon Darts' player portfolio.

The manufacturer explicitly describes his signature products as darts developed together around his fast, modern playing style.

This creates a clear connection:

Gian van Veen → The Giant → Red Dragon → 21g.

For a Diplomatgames page, this entity is significantly more important than constantly changing shaft or flight details.

Why is Gian van Veen Called "The Giant"?

His nickname is:

"The Giant."

This is, of course, a pun on his first name:

Gian → Giant.

The nickname is short, internationally understandable, and now firmly associated with him.

The PDC officially lists Van Veen as:

The Giant.

Therefore, for SEO purposes, also:

The Giant Darts

is a useful supplementary term.

What is Gian van Veen's Walk-on?

Van Veen's walk-on music is listed as:

"Astronomia" by Tony Igy & Vicetone.

The song is known to many fans independently of darts and quickly creates recognition at major tournaments.

However, as with all players, this applies:

Walk-on music can change.

For a long-term SEO page, therefore, manufacturer, weight, and signature series are much more important.

Profession Besides Darts

For Gian van Veen, too, his professional darts career is now clearly at the forefront.

With his position in the top 3 of the PDC world rankings and regular participation in practically all major PDC tournaments, darts is now his professional focus.

Reliable information about a currently practiced parallel traditional side job is not sufficiently documented.

Therefore, I would consciously not construct a profession here.

Gian van Veen vs. Luke Littler – Rivalry of the Next Generation?

One of the most exciting potential rivalries in the coming years is:

Gian van Veen vs. Luke Littler.

Both are exceptionally young.

Both can play extreme averages.

Both have rapidly risen to the top of the world.

And both have already met in the:

2026 World Championship final.

Littler won.

But Van Veen is now world number three and only a few years older.

Thus, these two players could still compete in many great matches against each other.

Gian van Veen and Michael van Gerwen

For Dutch fans, the connection to Michael van Gerwen is also interesting.

MvG dominated Dutch darts for over a decade.

However, in August 2026, the PDC lists:

Gian van Veen at number 3

and Michael van Gerwen at number 4 in the world rankings.

This makes Van Veen currently the highest-ranked Dutchman.

This is a significant symbolic shift within Dutch darts.

The Future of Dutch Darts?

The Netherlands has an exceptional darts tradition.

Raymond van Barneveld.

Michael van Gerwen.

Jelle Klaasen.

Danny Noppert.

And now:

Gian van Veen.

2025 European Champion.

2026 World Championship Finalist.

World number 3.

He is no longer simply "the next young Dutchman."

The Giant is already one of the most important players in the country.

Gian van Veen – From Young Talent to World Championship Finalist

The development was extremely fast.

Development Tour.

World Youth Champion.

First PDC ranking title in 2025.

Then:

European Champion 2025.

In the same year:

second World Youth title.

A few weeks later:

Finalist of the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship.

And in August 2026:

World No. 3.

The Giant is already one of the most important players for the upcoming PDC generation.

Buy Gian van Veen Darts at Diplomatgames

Do you want to buy Gian van Veen darts or try out The Giant's setup?

At Diplomatgames, you'll find various Gian van Veen darts by Red Dragon, as well as matching accessories, depending on availability.

Particularly interesting are:

Red Dragon Gian van Veen Signature 90%
Gian van Veen TE 90% Switch Point
Gian van Veen Axis S.E.

The classic Signature model consists of 90% tungsten, has a 48.26 mm long parallel barrel, and is available in, among others:

21 g and 24 g

Van Veen himself is listed with:

21 grams

If you prefer a rather light, compact straight barrel with a fine grip and fast release, The Giant's setup is particularly interesting.

Before buying, still compare:

weight, barrel length, diameter, grip strength, and point system.

Discover the available Gian van Veen darts at Diplomatgames now and find out which The Giant setup best suits your own throwing style.

FAQ – frequently asked questions about Gian van Veen

Which darts does Gian van Veen play?

Gian van Veen plays Red Dragon Signature Darts. His known match weight is 21 grams. Red Dragon offers classic Signature darts as well as the newer TE 90% Switch Point Edition.

How many grams does Gian van Veen play?

Gian van Veen plays 21 grams. His classic Red Dragon Signature barrel is also available in a 24-g version.

Which manufacturer does Gian van Veen play for?

Gian van Veen plays for Red Dragon Darts. The manufacturer offers several signature models under his name.

What is Gian van Veen's greatest success?

His greatest successes include winning the European Championship 2025 and reaching the final of the PDC World Championship 2026.

How many times has Gian van Veen been a Junior World Champion?

Van Veen won the PDC World Youth Championship twice, in 2024 and 2025. In the 2025 final, he defeated Beau Greaves 6-3.

Has Gian van Veen won a PDC ranking title?

Yes. Van Veen won his first regular PDC ranking title in March 2025 at Players Championship 6. In the final, he defeated Luke Humphries 8-3.

How far did Gian van Veen go in the 2026 World Championship?

Van Veen reached the final of the 2026 PDC World Championship. In the semi-final, he defeated Gary Anderson 6-3 before losing to Luke Littler in the final.

What is Gian van Veen's world ranking position?

As of August 2026, Gian van Veen is ranked 3rd in the PDC World Rankings.

Why is Gian van Veen called "The Giant"?

"The Giant" is a play on his first name Gian. The PDC officially lists him under this nickname.

Which walk-on song does Gian van Veen use?

Van Veen uses "Astronomia" by Tony Igy & Vicetone as his walk-on song.

Who are Gian van Veen darts suitable for?

The signature darts are particularly interesting for players who prefer a relatively short parallel barrel, fine micro grip, and rather light steel darts around 21 grams.

Where can you buy Gian van Veen darts?

You can buy Gian van Veen darts at Diplomatgames. Depending on availability, you'll find Red Dragon Signature, TE Switch Point, Axis S.E., and matching accessories there.