YORKTOWN — Professional darts player Jules van Dongen arrived at Yorktown Beach on Wednesday after cycling 3,644 miles across the United States, completing a three-month ride to raise awareness and funding for dystonia research.
Van Dongen finished his “Pedals & Points 2026” ride at Yorktown Beach, ending a cross-country trek that began March 26 in Santa Monica, California. The ride raised more than $14,000 for dystonia research and brought attention to the neurological movement disorder that altered the course of his professional darts career.
“I gave it a positive twist, and I’m trying to help people and raise awareness … I had a lot of joy in the last three months riding my bike,” said Van Dongen.
A documentary crew followed Van Dongen’s journey, which ended with a celebration among family, friends and supporters at Yorktown Pub on Water Street.
Van Dongen lives with task-specific dystonia, a rare neurological movement disorder that affects highly specialized, repetitive movements. In his case, the condition interfered with his ability to grip and throw darts despite years of training and success in the sport.
Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions that can cause twisting movements, repetitive motions and abnormal postures. The condition can affect virtually any part of the body and is often misdiagnosed.
Born in the Netherlands, Van Dongen grew up watching darts and later turned to the sport professionally after losing his hospitality job during the COVID-19 pandemic. His rise was swift. He qualified for the Lakeside World Darts Federation World Championships in 2021, earned his tour card in 2022 and went on to win 16 titles over the next two years.
That momentum was interrupted in 2024 when he began experiencing problems with his throwing hand.
Unable to determine the cause, Van Dongen underwent numerous medical evaluations, including visits with orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, physical therapists, chiropractors and acupuncturists, along with MRI scans and X-rays. He was eventually diagnosed with task-specific dystonia.
Rather than keep the diagnosis private, Van Dongen chose to speak publicly about the condition in hopes of helping others facing similar challenges.
“I’m so determined to find my peak again that I’m now a leftie, or a wannabe southpaw,” Van Dongen said in a statement. “This year holds many hopes for me and if I can encourage anyone along the way and raise some money for dystonia research, I’ve hit my target.”
Van Dongen’s ride raised more than $14,000 for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports research, education and advocacy efforts focused on dystonia.
