Raymond van Barneveld says old darts and a bit of healthy eating can see him topple Phil Taylor.
Barney tells skysports.com that a return to his old darts and some good food can bring him joy at Ally Pally
Raymond van Barneveld reckons he's found the recipe for success at the World Darts Championship... it's all about eating right.
The Dutchman will kick off his bid for a second world title on Sunday December 18 when he takes on James Richardson in round one at Alexandra Palace, looking to recapture the form that took him to PDC glory five years ago.
His career has dipped since he discovered he had diabetes in 2009 and he has not won a major individual PDC title since 2007, slipping to number eight in the world rankings.
And he admits he has struggled to get himself into physical shape for the demands of the professional darts circuit.
"For some reason the Pro Tours are affecting me," he explained to
skysports.com.
"There's early wake-ups, you start at noon and if you have a body like me you have to rest more. If you're awake in the morning you don't have the energy balance you need.
"It's because of the diabetes. Some people think I'm lazy, but it's not laziness, it's that your body is not right to perform well at 12 o'clock in the afternoon. That's why I'd rather play games during the night, rather than afternoon games.
"I lose night games as well of course, but the balance of my body is different. Sometimes I'm sweating big on stage and I have really freezing cold hands and it's like: 'Where has that come from?'
"Food and drink nowadays is so important for me. I can't skip a lunch or a breakfast any more because that is not doing my body right. If you eat a proper three meals a day and some fruit then I will be alright."
Diet
A tough 2011 for the Dutchman culminated in a disappointing display at November's Grand Slam of Darts where he crashed out in the group stage without winning a match.
He blames his bad performances on his decision to go on the Atkins Diet ahead of the tournament, but after consulting medical advice he is back on the carbohydrates.
And he says that after throwing away the diet books, he has now rediscovered his appetite for darts.
He said: "I was on the Atkins Diet for the Grand Slam of Darts, skipping a lot of carbohydrates, but for a big guy like me you can't do that on a match day. On the night sessions you don't feel comfortable because you don't have energy.
"You get that from carbohydrates; you need sugars and energy to perform well. If you don't have the energy you feel a bit sloppy and not 100 per cent well.
"I work with a personal trainer now and he's telling me just to eat toast or a sandwich in the morning, again at three in the afternoon and then a dinner. I've thrown the weight loss stuff out of my house and that's it. If you eat three to six times a day then you will not have problems.
"For the last two years it was a bit gone and I was doubting myself and what was happening with the diabetes. My body was missing energy and as soon as I went out with this personal trainer he said I can't go on an Atkins Diet, I'm a big guy and I need sugars, bread, rice, potatoes and pasta."
Suitcase
Van Barneveld hopes that a more healthy lifestyle will restore him to peak performance for the World Championship, which kicks off live on
Sky Sports on Thursday December 16.
But after arriving in the UK to prepare for the event, he says it's not easy to eat well when you're living out of a suitcase.
He said: "Maybe people are bored of me because it's always the same story, but you have to handle it. You have to listen to people when they give you advice.
"At home it's easy when you have your own kitchen and you can make whatever you want, but in a hotel room it's a bit different. You have to go out to get an apple or whatever and it's not always near so you have to get a cab.
"You have to prepare and put this stuff in your suitcase, a couple of bananas and an apple and some bread, so that's what I'm doing now.
"But with bread you put it in your room for a day or one-and-a-half days and then you must throw it away. It's the same with ham or cheese because you don't have a kitchen in your hotel room. That makes it harder."
Return
The other significant change that Van Barneveld has made is a return to the darts that he used when he beat Phil Taylor in an epic World Final in 2007.
He has experimented with different arrows in recent years, but has now asked his darts supplier to replicate the ones he used to beat Taylor 7-6 in a final regarded as one of the greatest matches of all time.
Van Barneveld is scheduled to meet The Power in the last eight if they both make it through the first three rounds and he says he has drawn confidence from a Players Championship win over Taylor two months ago.
But while he feels he is capable of toppling the 15-time world champion, he admits it's never an easy task.
He said: "We all know I'm seeded eight now and if you're seeded eight you get Phil in the quarter-finals - if we both come so far. That's a nice thing to look out for because last year he lost to Mark Webster in the quarter-final, so it's not a mission impossible.
"I'm quite confident that I'm going to play a good World Championship. If I win my first game I should meet Brendan Dolan or Kim Huybrechts and then probably Mr Nicholson is waiting and then probably Mr Taylor. It's a long way and every match is a final.
"I beat Phil twice in Benidorm in October and it really meant a lot to me to beat him twice in a weekend. I'm going to rely on that because he's a tough opponent to beat. The man gives so much pressure in every single leg, there's not one leg he gives away and that's why he's the best player in the world.
"It's so hard to beat him, so it's done me good that I beat him in that weekend twice. I've built up a lot of confidence."
Mix
Barney insists the winner of this year's World Championship will come from the top eight in the world rankings - with the likes of Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson and James Wade in the mix with himself and Taylor.
But with his old darts in his hand and a new approach to food, he says he finally has the hunger to win the biggest prize in darts once more.
"This is the only title that really counts," he said.
"If you can call yourself world champion then all the rest of the players are really jealous of you because that's the most precious title there is."
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