Gian van Veen dubbed ‘pure class’ for incredible gesture as Josh Rock thrilled home fans with 9-darter

Night Four of the 2026 Premier League Darts in Belfast will be remembered for many years — not just for the perfection that Josh Rock produced in front of his adoring home crowd, but for the remarkable act of sportsmanship from his opponent Gian van Veen that left the darts world united in admiration.

The SSE Arena was already at fever pitch when the quarter-final between Rock and Van Veen got underway. The venue was packed to the rafters for the fourth league night of the Premier League, marking Rock’s debut in his hometown of Belfast — and from the moment he stepped on stage, the crowd carried him. For the 24-year-old from Broughshane in County Antrim, this was the moment he had dreamed of.

What unfolded in the seventh leg, however, surpassed even the wildest expectations of those inside the arena.

With two maximums of 180, Rock left himself on 141. The first dart flew cleanly into treble 20, the second into treble 19. The crowd was already on its feet as he stepped up to double 12 — and the dart landed dead centre, sending the arena into absolute eruption.

Rock was beside himself. He wheeled away in wild celebration, visibly overwhelmed by the magnitude of the moment — a nine-darter, in Belfast, in front of his own people. But it was Van Veen’s reaction that truly captured the hearts of everyone watching, both inside the SSE Arena and at home.

Fans were quick to credit the Dutchman with a remarkable act of sportsmanship, with one noting how Van Veen had appeared to deliberately leave himself on 170 during his own visit to the oche, as if creating the space for the possibility of a perfect finish — and then stood pointing his hands towards Rock, willing his opponent to nail it. “GvV is pure class,” one fan wrote.

A second admirer added that Van Veen and the leg’s referee had both read the room perfectly and understood how special the moment was for Rock, giving him all the time he needed to take it in without rushing him.

Rock himself confirmed that Van Veen’s warm response was no act. Speaking after the match, the Northern Irishman revealed that Van Veen told him backstage: “You feel the way I did last week in Poland” — a touching reference to Van Veen’s own victory at the Poland Darts Open the previous weekend — before Rock noted with a grin that he reminded the Dutchman he still won.

As if that was not enough, a video also emerged on social media appearing to show Rock himself discouraging the Belfast crowd from booing Van Veen during the eighth leg of the contest, wagging his fingers at those making noise while his opponent was throwing. Two rivals showing mutual respect in the same evening — it was a powerful reminder of the camaraderie that runs through the sport beneath the competitive fires.

The commentary box was equally swept up in the drama. Wayne Mardle, calling the match on Sky Sports, asked in disbelief: “Someone explain to me how that just happened! Rock was looking all over the place, looked a beaten man.”

Rock’s own words in the aftermath told the full story of what the moment meant. Speaking to Sky Sports’ Polly James, his voice still full of emotion, he said: “My body is in overdrive. I am shaking like a leaf. It was a dream come true. If I ever played in the Premier League, I’d love to hit a nine-darter in Belfast. I don’t care if I never throw a nine-darter again — this is a dream come true.”

He admitted that double 12 had been causing him trouble for months, and that as the treble 20 and treble 19 went in, all he could do was plead with that final dart to find its mark. When it did, he could not contain himself.

He described the feeling as comparable to winning the World Cup for Northern Ireland, insisting that from an individual perspective it was simply unbelievable, and declaring it a memory he will never forget for as long as he lives.

As a reward for the perfect leg, tournament sponsors BetMGM presented Rock with a custom-made set of 18-carat solid gold darts worth £30,000 — the first golden arrows awarded in the 2026 Premier League campaign. Rock left the stage having lost the match 6-2, yet carrying a prize that money cannot truly measure.

Sky Sports analyst Laura Turner summed up the sentiment of the night perfectly: “We know it is all about the points but to hit a nine-darter in front of a home crowd in Belfast… the noise was unbelievable when he hit the double. Nines don’t win you matches but it was a special moment.”

Social media was awash with fans calling it the greatest nine-darter atmosphere they had ever witnessed, with one writing “Belfast — unbelievable atmosphere — is that the best nine ever?”, and another declaring it “one of the best ever Premier League moments.”

For Van Veen, the evening still ended in heartbreak of sorts. The Dutchman went on to reach his third Premier League final in four nights, only to be beaten 6-2 by the brilliant Stephen Bunting — but his standing in the eyes of the darts public grew immeasurably on a night when his generosity of spirit matched Rock’s sporting excellence.

In a sport increasingly defined by its relationship between players and crowds, Thursday night in Belfast offered a refreshing counter-narrative: two competitors lifting each other up, respecting the moment, and letting the game be the star.