Darts professional? Is more for the second educational path. Almost the entire world elite used to earn their breakfast rolls with honorable jobs. The Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld was a postman before he decided it was a good idea to throw arrows at a target professionally (and make a lot of money from it). Michael van Gerwen was a tiler, Rob Cross was an electrician, Peter Wright worked on construction sites. The currently best German player, Gabriel Clemens, worked part-time as an industrial mechanic for a long time before concentrating fully on the sport. And the story of Gerwyn Price is legendary: the Welshman was a rugby professional before he injured his hand. So he became a darts player – and even world champion last winter.
Second-chance education? Fabian Schmutzler can only laugh at that. He is still a student, attends the tenth grade of a Frankfurt grammar school – and has nevertheless qualified for the biggest stage of his sport, the World Championship in London’s Alexandra Palace from December 15th to January 3rd. He got the ticket to everyone’s joyful surprise on the Development Tour for players from mainland Europe. Schmutzler (fighting name “The Fabulous Fab”) came as a nobody and just didn’t stop winning, two tournament victories meant second place overall, which was enough for him to qualify for the World Cup, as the first-placed Austrian Rusty-Jake Rodriguez already had his ticket.
What made his performance even more remarkable: In the first part of the twelve-part tour, Schmutzler was still too young, he was not allowed to take part and collect points. So he only played the second part – and qualified anyway.
Four German players are qualified for the World Cup, a fifth is still fighting
His success is representative of the upswing among German dart players who are getting closer and closer to the top of the world. The round of 16 participation of Gabriel Clemens, who even defeated the reigning world champion Peter Wright last year, should not remain an isolated case. With his first arrow thrown, Schmutzler will even immediately enter his name in the history books in December. At the start of the World Cup, he will be 16 years and 57 days old, making him the second youngest World Cup participant ever. Only the Australian Mitchell Clegg was a little younger when he made his debut in 2007 (16 years, 37 days).
Even with a closer look, Schmutzler’s performance remains a huge surprise – but one that can be explained. For his young age, the 16-year-old has a mental strength that many older players would like to have. Schmutzler is at peace, he doesn’t get shaky hands when it comes to ending a leg with a throw into the double field – he is also not a guy who otherwise tends to freak out in the wild and colorful darts circus. One who can assess this is Klaus Pabst, the President of the Hessian Darts Association. He knows Schmutzler as a “quiet guy who is very focused,” said Pabst dem Sports information service: “His parents make sure that he doesn’t answer.”
Honest joy is still allowed. Schmutzler declared that the World Cup was “the ultimate of everything there is” – and that he is now part of an ever-growing German delegation. In the London Ally Pally, in which, despite the pandemic, up to 3,000 spectators per session are to be admitted, traditionally a lot of Brits will be at the start, including a lot of Dutch – as well as four Germans. Before Schmutzler, Clemens, Martin Schindler and Florian Hempel had already bought their World Cup tickets, and there is even still a fifth German starting place: Max Hopp could secure it at the final qualifying tournament at the end of November.
Hopp, 25, is far more experienced than Schmutzler, it would be his ninth World Cup participation. Hopp also made his debut in 2012 at the age of 16; he was a few days older than Schmutzler today. And retired in the first round.