Berlin – Florian Hempel has never experienced a Christmas party like this before. After his famous World Cup coup against Belgium’s star player Dimitri van den Bergh, Germany’s new darts hope will spend the holidays in the player hotel in London – and then start the attack on a very big surprise at the most important tournament in the world. “I will prepare for my next game. I don’t have any big plans, but it’s going to be a great Christmas ”, announced the 31-year-old from Cologne.
The former handball player of the Dessau-Roßlauer HV has secured 25,000 pounds (around 29,500 euros) through the third round collection. Even more important: after beating van den Bergh as number five in the world, his way seems to be free – even to a possible quarter-finals that no German has yet reached at the World Cup. Expert René Eidams said on the television microphone: “Christmas is every year.” That probably does not apply to such great chances of darts at the World Cup. The broadcaster Sport 1 recorded a peak of up to 1.1 million viewers – a record in this early phase of the tournament.
Florian Hempel’s victory attracts international attention
For Hempel, having to spend the festival of love on the island due to strict quarantine rules is not that easy. “Yes, it hurts my soul. But it’s my job and I knew what I was getting myself into, ”said the German, whose surprising victory over fellow favorite van den Bergh also attracted a lot of international attention.
The soul hurts, but the athlete’s heart should pound enthusiastically in view of this story. On December 27th (4 p.m. / Sport1 and DAZN) it is now up to the Australian outsider Raymond Smith, against whom Hempel can be expected to win another victory. Smith had clearly won against Devon Petersen from South Africa on Tuesday evening.
Max Hopp owes Florian Hempel respect
“We are at a world championship, there are no more byes here. The boys can also play darts. In the end, as always, the form of the day will decide, ”said Hempel at DAZN. In his first real year as a darts professional, the former handball goalkeeper ensures climax after climax. At the European championship he defeated the former world champion Peter Wright from Scotland, now also a world class player at the world championship. “Respect Flo! Mega gambled ”, wrote compatriot Max Hopp, who has now fallen behind Hempel in the world rankings.
The coolness with which World Cup debutant Hempel acted on the huge stage in Alexandra Palace was particularly impressive. The German outsider converted nine of his twelve throws on doubles. Judging by the fact that Hempel started darts as a hobby four years ago on an eight-euro disc in a shared apartment, it is a furious rise. His current emotional world? “Nobody believes me,” said Hempel, who grew up in Dessau but has been listening to the music of the Kölsch rock band Brings since moving to Cologne. In the Alexandra Palace, too, the song “Kölsche Jung” rang out of the speakers, which singer Peter Brings considered an accolade.
Florian Hempel hopes that Gabriel Clemens will follow him
With Hempel’s coup, memories of the previous year were awakened, when Gabriel Clemens reached the round of 16 with a victory over Wright and made German darts history. Hempel hopes that his buddy Clemens will also make it into the third round on Thursday evening (9 p.m.) so that they can spend Christmas together in London and prepare for the next missions after the holidays.
Afterwards, neither of them will be able to avoid quarantine at home, Great Britain is a virus variant area. For Hempel that is a minor matter, he is living his dream of the World Cup. If he actually creates a sensation in London and becomes world champion, a surprise awaits him: Peter Brings has announced that in this case he will come to Hempel’s house and sing his opening song “Kölsche Jung” in person.