German · Dessau, East Germany · Born 10 April 1990German darts player and former professional handball goalkeeper who became a regular PDC World Championship qualifier within a few years of taking up darts.
Born in Dessau, East Germany, on 10 April 1990, Florian Hempel spent a decade as a professional handball goalkeeper for Dessau-Rosslauer HV in Germany's second Handball-Bundesliga before retiring from the sport with limited success and turning to darts in 2017. Hempel made his PDC European Tour debut at the 2019 Dutch Darts Masters and won his PDC Tour Card at Q-School in 2021 after two earlier unsuccessful attempts. He made his televised PDC debut later that year at the European Championship, causing an upset by eliminating reigning champion Peter Wright. Hempel has qualified for four PDC World Championships, reaching the last 32 on two occasions, in 2022 and 2024. At the 2023 tournament, he won a deciding-leg thriller against Keegan Brown before falling to Luke Humphries. He completed his first nine-dart finish during a German Super League match in 2021. Based in Cologne, Hempel remains a respected member of Germany's growing PDC contingent, often citing the discipline and pressure-handling skills from his handball career as a foundation for his approach to darts.
A rapid transition from professional handball goalkeeper to PDC World Championship regular
How They Played
Steady scorer known for composure under pressure
Lasting Impact
One of the more unusual crossover stories in modern darts
German Athletes