World Darts Championship: Dimitri Van den Bergh on being the entertainer and 'realistic' dreams for Alexandra Palace
Dimitri Van den Bergh is known for trying to entertain darts crowds but has also set himself some "realistic" dreams for the Worlds; watch every session of the World Darts Championship from December 15-January 3 live on Sky Sports
Friday 6 December 2024 13:26, UK
Dimitri Van den Bergh is known for his dancing walk-ons and big personality but the Belgian has been working hard to ensure his game is also capable of making a major impact.
Whenever a darts player performs for the crowd, people often wonder if that is their real personality or a character they play when on the biggest stage.
With 'Dancing Dimi', he insists that what you see is exactly what you get.
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"What you see is what you get to be fair with me. I'll be myself, I'll always try to be a good example, because obviously I'm an older brother, I've got three younger brothers and I'm also a dad now. So it's very important to be a good example," Van den Bergh said.
"Don't walk next to your shoes, stay humble, and your success should not change your character as a person. So these are all things that I would like to be,
"Don't be cocky, don't be arrogant, it's all stuff that I don't like, and that's the most important part.
"So, whoever you have in front of you now, that's who I always am, a bit of a chappy, that likes to laugh, be nice, be respectful, very important."
Van den Bergh has been working with a sports psychologist since the conclusion of the last World Championship in January and credits it with getting him through some difficult moments.
Indeed, he believes the last year has been so beneficial for how he feels in himself now heading into the 2025 tournament.
"It's been a rollercoaster for me and many obstacles in many ways. But it has been good to work with my sports psychologist," he said.
"He has done wonders with me, and he has given me a different perspective in how I'm handling pressure, how I'm handling moments in games, situations, so it's definitely been a good choice for me to work with him.
"I've got a good bond with him as well, from the start it was a good click, so I can only take the positives, that's all I can say about that.
"It's after the World Championship [in 2024] that me and him started to work together. It started this year in January, that's when I had a sit down with him.
"It is not about me having words, but I also take action, and that's so much more important, that your actions are louder than your words, and whatever I've learned, whatever I have developed, it has been beneficial for me.
"It always helps, it's just the way you look into situations, certain tournaments, and also how you feel with yourself.
"It's always going to change if you get help from outside, from a neutral point of view, but still from someone that knows what they're talking about, so that helps."
'One game at a time' vs a dream
A dilemma players often encounter heading to Ally Pally is trying to maintain focus on the next match ahead of them while keeping the big dream of being crowned the champion of the world in the back of their mind.
For Dimi, it is about making sure the dreams set out are realistic so that distraction does not occur. And his realistic dream? Leaving the Worlds ranked in the top 16 of the PDC Order of Merit.
"Without a doubt, one game at a time, because you're allowed to dream, don't get me wrong, you're allowed to dream, but make sure that your dreams are realistic, and make sure that you don't put yourself under pressure, and also don't be big-headed about yourself," he said.
"Don't make it harder than it already is, because obviously you're playing on a big stage, in front of a big crowd, in front of millions of viewers, it's the World Championship, there's a lot of prize money, all these factors could put you under pressure if you overthink all of that stuff.
"I'm one of them that says, take it game by game, but it's good to dream, you want to have goals.
"Now the most important part, after the tournaments that I've played, or will play, being in the top 16 after the World Championship is my main goal."
When will the World Darts Championship take place?
The tournament gets under way at Alexandra Palace on Sunday December 15, with three first-round matches and one second-round match on the opening evening.
There will be live darts over each of the following eight days, including seven afternoon sessions, with the usual three-day break from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day before returning with the third round and a double session on December 27.
The third and fourth rounds will be completed by December 30 before a night off on New Year's Eve, with the quarter-finals held across two sessions on New Year's Day ahead of the semi-finals on January 2 and the final on Friday January 3.
The full day-by-day schedule for this year's tournament can be found here.
Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch every match exclusively live from December 15-January 3 on Sky Sports' dedicated darts channel. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.
