Florian Hempel

Last updated

Florian Hempel
Florian Hempel 2019 (cropped).jpg
Hempel in 2019
Personal information
Full nameFlorian Hempel
Born (1990-04-10) 10 April 1990 (age 34) [1] [2]
Dessau, East Germany
Home town Cologne, Germany
Darts information
Playing darts since2017
Darts25g Winmau [3]
Laterality Right-handed
Walk-on music"Kölsche Jung" by Brings
Organisation (see split in darts)
PDC 2018–
(Tour Card: 2021-)
Current world ranking 55 Steady2.svg (16 October 2024) [4]
PDC premier events – best performances
World Ch'ship Last 32: 2022, 2024
UK Open Last 64: 2022, 2023, 2024
European Ch'ship Last 16: 2021

Florian Hempel (born 10 April 1990) is a German professional darts player and former handball player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events.

Contents

Hempel began his sporting career in handball, playing as a goalkeeper for Dessau-Roßlauer HV  [ de ], where he made his professional debut in 2010, and later played for HC Burgenland  [ de ]. Achieving little success, Hempel quit the sport and began playing darts. He made his PDC European Tour debut in the 2019 Dutch Darts Masters, and gained his tour card in 2021.

Early life and career

Born in Dessau, East Germany, [5] Hempel was a goalkeeper in handball, beginning his career with SG Kühnau, [6] before moving to Dessau-Roßlauer HV  [ de ] in the 2010–11 2. Handball-Bundesliga season. [7] This proved to be his only appearance in the division, [8] and made a further two appearances in the third tier. [6] In 2016, Hempel ended his handball career in Cologne with Longericher Sport Club  [ de ], [9] where he had moved to advance his educational studies; [6] he eventually qualified as a fitness coach and nutritionist. [10]

Darts career

Hempel began playing darts in his flat in 2017, [7] [8] and in 2018 quit his job, registered for unemployment benefits, and took on darts as a full-time job. [11]

On his PDC European Tour debut at the Dutch Darts Masters in May 2019, he whitewashed Ryan Harrington 6–0. [12] Hempel lost to Simon Whitlock 6–3 in the second round.

Having previously attempted to gain a Tour Card in both 2018 and 2020, [13] Hempel won a PDC Tour Card at 2021 European Q-School, winning the event 3 final. [14] In March, he withdrew from the UK Open due to family reasons. [15] In April, he completed his first nine-dart finish during a European Super League whitewash victory over Marco Obst. [16]

Hempel made his PDC televised debut in October at the 2021 European Championship, eliminating reigning champion Peter Wright 6–3. [17] The following week, he reached his first semi-final on the PDC Pro Tour before losing there 7–3 to Michael Smith. [18] Ahead of his PDC World Darts Championship debut, Hempel featured as a guest commentator on Sport1 for the 2021 Grand Slam of Darts. [5] During the 2022 PDC World Darts Championship, Hempel caused a "major upset" when he defeated fifth seed Dimitri Van den Bergh in the second round, averaging 98.37, [10] and described it as "madness". [19] He would go on to lose 4–1 to Australia's Raymond Smith in the third round.

2024

At the 2024 World Championship, Hempel faced Dylan Slevin in the first round. Slevin won the first set and hit a 167 checkout in the second set, but Hempel managed to mount a comeback to win the match 3–1. In the second round, Hempel defeated Dimitri Van den Bergh 3–2, despite losing the first two sets. The match was a repeat of the 2022 second round tie which Hempel also won. [20] In the third round, Hempel was whitewashed 0–4 by Stephen Bunting.

World Championship results

PDC

Performance timeline

Tournament2021202220232024
PDC World Championship DNQ 3R 2R 3R
UK Open WD 4R 4R 4R
European Championship 2R DNQ
Career statistics
Year-end ranking625060

PDC European Tour

Season12345678910111213
2019 EDO
DNQ
GDC
DNQ
GDG
DNQ
GDO
DNQ
ADO
DNP
EDG
DNQ
DDM
2R
DDO
DNQ
CDO
DNQ
ADC
DNQ
EDM
1R
IDO
DNQ
GDT
DNQ
2020 BDC
DNP
GDC
DNQ
EDG
DNP
IDO
DNQ
2021 HDT
2R
GDT
2R
2022 IDO
1R
GDC
DNQ
GDG
DNQ
ADO
DNQ
EDO
DNQ
CDO
1R
EDG
DNQ
DDC
DNQ
EDM
2R
HDT
DNQ
GDO
DNQ
BDO
DNQ
GDT
DNQ
2023 BSD
1R
EDO
1R
IDO
2R
GDG
1R
ADO
DNQ
DDC
DNQ
BDO
DNQ
CDO
DNQ
EDG
DNQ
EDM
DNQ
GDO
3R
HDT
DNQ
GDC
1R
2024 BDO
DNQ
GDG
DNQ
IDO
DNQ
EDG
DNQ
ADO
DNQ
BSD
DNQ
DDC
DNQ
EDO
DNQ
GDC
DNQ
FDT
DNQ
HDT
2R
SDT
DNQ
CDO
1R
Performance Table Legend
WWon the tournamentFFinalistSFSemifinalistQFQuarterfinalist#R
RR
L#
Lost in # round
Round-robin
Last # stage
DQDisqualified
DNQDid not qualifyDNPDid not participateWDWithdrewNHTournament not heldNYFNot yet founded

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References

  1. "Florian Hempel - Mastercaller.com". Mastercaller. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  2. "Dart Profis - Florian Hempel". Dartn.de. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  3. "Winmau announces signing of German star Hempel: Felt I needed to make another change". 3 December 2022.
  4. "PDC Order of Merit". PDPA. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  5. 1 2 Csányi, Béla (17 November 2021). "Dank Hoffnungsträger Hempel, Kölner Kult-Hit läuft jetzt auch bei der Darts-WM in London" [Thanks to Hope Bearer Hempel, Cologne cult hit now also runs at the Darts World Championships in London]. Express.de (in German). Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 "Florian Hempel gelingt Darts-Überraschung gegen van den Bergh" [Florian Hempel succeeds in darts surprise against van den Bergh]. Infowelt (in German). 21 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  7. 1 2 Bürkmann, Silvia (27 December 2021). "Ex-Torwart Florian Hempel mischt die Darts-Welt auf - Mama Hempel drückt in Dessau die Daumen" [Ex-goalkeeper Florian Hempel stirs up the darts world - Mama Hempel keeps her fingers crossed in Dessau]. Mitteldeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  8. 1 2 Landwehr, Tobias (27 December 2021). "Die zweite Chance des Handballtorwarts" [The second chance of the handball goalkeeper]. Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  9. Eisele, Florian (22 December 2021). "Florian Hempel: Aus dem Handball-Tor zur Darts-WM" [Florian Hempel: From the handball goal to the Darts World Cup]. Augsburger Allgemeine . Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  10. 1 2 Gorton, Josh (22 December 2021). "World Darts Championship: Former Handball star Florian Hempel making his mark at Alexandra Palace". Sky Sports . Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  11. Flottmeyer, Lukas (24 February 2021). "Florian Hempel: When one career is not enough…". Sky Sports . Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  12. "Dutch Darts Masters: Hopp, Hempel und Rodriguez in Runde 2" [Dutch Darts Masters: Hopp, Hempel and Rodriguez in Round 2]. Dartn (in German). 24 May 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  13. Hudd, Ben (16 January 2020). "From professional handball to Qualifying School: the story of Germany's Florian Hempel". Darts Planet. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  14. "PDC Q-School: Florian Hempel and Jake Jones win Tour Cards as Raymond van Barneveld stumbles". Sky Sports . 16 February 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  15. Gill, Samuel (4 March 2021). "Reyes and Hempel withdraw from UK Open due to family reasons". Darts News. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  16. Gill, Samuel (19 April 2021). "Hempel hits first nine-dart finish of 2021 PDC Europe Super League". Darts News. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  17. "Peter Wright crashes out of European Darts Championship to German Florian Hempel". Sky Sports . 15 October 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  18. "Super Series: Michael gewinnt Smith-Finale, Hempel unter den Top 4" [Super Series: Michael wins Smith final, Hempel in the top 4]. Dartn (in German). 22 October 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  19. "Debütant Hempel wirft Mitfavorit raus" [Debutant Hempel throws out co-favourite]. Der Spiegel (in German). 22 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  20. Gill, Samuel (22 December 2023). "Fabulous Florian Hempel produced astonishing great escape to defeat Dimitri Van den Bergh again at World Darts Championship". Darts News. Retrieved 16 March 2024.