Blood Spot Briefly Halts World Darts Championship Final
A minor injury to a competitor caused a brief but unusual interruption during the World Darts Championship final, as a small amount of blood momentarily halted play between Luke Littler and Gian van Veen. The incident occurred during the sixth set of the match, ultimately won by Littler.
The disruption stemmed from an apparent hand injury sustained by van veen. He was observed bleeding and, while attempting to wipe the blood from the dartboard, some transferred to the window behind it. Specifically, the blood adhered to the white section corresponding to the number five, becoming clearly visible to both players and the audience.
“Luke could ask to have the board replaced,” a former professional player commented during the televised broadcast. His co-commentator, a three-time world champion, jokingly added, “He doesn’t miss the triple 20 so clearly,” before acknowledging the potential distraction, stating, “But you can see it.”
Despite the visual impediment, Littler maintained his focus, building a 5-1 lead in the set. It wasn’t until that point that the referee,George Noble,signaled for a short break. Notably, this match marked Noble’s final appearance before retirement from the Professional darts Corporation (PDC).
A PDC employee then replaced the dartboard while both players waited in front of the crowd. Van Veen was seen gesturing towards his left hand, though, as he is a right-handed player, the injury likely did not substantially impact his performance. He ultimately proved unable to challenge Littler, who secured a decisive 7-1 victory.
The match saw Luke Littler,16,defeat Gian van Veen,33,in a dominant performance. The blood incident occurred when van Veen cut his hand, and while attempting to clean the dartboard, a small amount of blood became visible. After a brief pause for board replacement, Littler continued his strong form, winning the final 7-1 to claim the championship title.
