World Darts Championship: Gabriel Clemens is Germany's star

Gabriel Clemens sounds a little awkward in English, which is probably why the English darts crowd at Ally Pally has given the 39-year-old German the nickname "Gaga."

But the impression he left at the World Darts Championship will ensure people remember his name. After advancing farther than any German had before in the competition, Clemens inspiring run came to an end on Monday when he lost to Michael Smith 6-2.

Having previously beaten world No. 1 Gerwyn Price with a German record average of 99.94, Clemens certainly sent darts fans crazy. His victory made him the first ever German to make the semifinal at the World Darts Championship. 

Clemens had said he hoped to inspire more young Germans to play darts. Having previously beaten world No. 1 Gerwyn Price with a German record average of 99.94, Clemens certainly sent darts fans crazy.

"Ally Pally is German," Clemens told broadcaster Sport1 after his semifinal loss. "It was unbelievable when the fans sang German songs."

His semifinal drew a television audience of 1.99 million viewers in Germany, a sign that he indeed had more of his countrymen and women interested in the sport. Clemens' Instagram following also jumped from around 66,000 before the championship to 221,000 after his semifinal exit.

16 years as a mechanic

Few would have imagined that the gentle giant from Saarland, Germany's smallest state, would have reached such heights, even Clemens himself.

Clemens started playing in 2001, at that time just as a hobby with friends in the pub. He then began competing in tournaments, having to take days off work to attend. Clemens is a two-time German champion and, in 2017, became the first German player to reach the semifinals of the World Masters, the oldest major tournament.

Clemens spent 16 years working as an industrial mechanic but turned pro in 2018, with the help of girlfriend Lisa Heuser, who is also his manager. In 2020, Clemens then became the first German to make the Last 16 when he beat the then-reigning champion Peter Wright.

His performance this year has attracted attention from the likes of Thomas Müller, with the German international celebrating an "awesome darts match" from Clemens earlier in the tournament.

Intense fitness training

Alongside the hours of training on the dartboard every day, Clemens has also long worked on breathing techniques and neurotherapy. The man with the goatee has been a perfectionist from the start.

"Eighty percent of darts is mental, 20 is physical," said Clemens. His neurotherapy aims to help sharpen his concentration, but the classic methods have also contributed to Clemens' success.

In Saarbrücken's Olympic center, Clemens has kept himself physically fit by focusing on his stability and strength. Few of his opponents have been as intensely dedicated and by 2021, Clemens had already lost more than 20 kilograms (44 pounds).

"I feel happier with training now. I'm always looking for that next step toward perfection and if that has made me better in a few areas then it was worth it," he said.

Despite the disappointment in the semifinals, Clemens is set to become the first German darts player to enter the top 20 of the world rankings. He has also pocketed around €96,000 (around $102,000). Most importantly, though, for the man also nicknamed the "German Giant," all the doors of the darts world are now open.

This text was originally published in German