MICHAEL VAN GERWEN has undergone a stunning body transformation ahead of this year’s World Darts Championship.
The Dutchman is aiming to become a four-time PDC world champion.
He will certainly feel better about himself having lost more than three stones.
But that’s not where it stops as he has his sights set on shedding more timber.
Van Gerwen revealed on the Darts Draait Door podcast: “I’ve lost more than 20 kilos and we’re not there yet. I still need to drop about ten.”
Weight loss is usually achieved by changing lifestyle habits, and that’s something Van Gerwen has done.
He added: “Part of it comes from living and moving consciously, but part was due to stress.
“In a long relationship you fall into a rut where you don’t put yourself first. Now I do, and that matters.”
Weight loss can also be achieved in a variety of ways, and for Van Gerwen playing padel helps.
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He said: “I find the gym mind-numbing. On the padel court you meet people, it’s fun and it keeps me active.
“A lesson now and then, that suits me. I need to work on myself a bit, that’s only sensible.”
When weight loss on this scale occurs, it inevitably leads to downsizing in clothing.
When asked about kit supplier Winmau changing sizes, he replied: “I’m not going to throw in pyjamas, am I? And I don’t have a six-pack either, I’m no Brad Pitt.”
Van Gerwen will be hoping to go one better than last year, when he lost the final to teenage darts sensation Luke Littler.
It meant he missed out on the £500,00 prize money, which has this year doubled to £1 million.
The prize money for the runner-up has also doubled from £200,000 to £400,000.
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Van Gerwen added: “We’d never have dared dream of that all these years, but I just don’t think the distribution is fair.
“The runner-up gets ‘only’ £400,000. I think the place after the winner should never be less than half. The PDC only flaunts the top prize.”
“The problem is that the world champion can soon say he hardly needs to play any other tournament. Whoever that is.”
