In a truly sensational display of talent, 12-year-old Ben Schneider has etched his name into darts history by winning the prestigious MyDartCoach Championship. Facing nearly 500 competitors, including seasoned professionals, Schneider triumphed over 16-year-old Elias Jahn in a thrilling final. This remarkable victory marks a new era for youth in darts, showcasing incredible skill and composure at such a young age. Meanwhile, Jaimy van de Weerd and Sebastian Steinmetz secured the doubles title in a fiercely contested event.
A Star is Born: Ben Schneider’s Unstoppable Run
Those who have followed Ben Schneider’s journey since the beginning of the year, particularly online, already knew his name was one to remember. Having only started playing darts a mere two years ago, the now 12-year-old from Wehbach, Germany, is undeniably blessed with immense talent. His Instagram profile regularly chronicles his tournament victories and proudly showcases his support from dart equipment manufacturer Target’s junior program. The MyDartCoach Championship now adds an incredible highlight to his burgeoning career.
Schneider’s path to glory was nothing short of dominant. He sailed through his group stage without a hitch, demonstrating early command. Among the final 64, he notably eliminated Luca Wolff, a participant in Germany’s elite Super League, signaling his serious intent. His best performance of the day came with a staggering 91 average in a 4-1 victory against Lukas Klein, a testament to his scoring power. As the tournament progressed, he continued to distance himself from his opponents:
- Last 16: Defeated Jordy van de Weerd 5-1
- Quarter-final: Swept Marvin Koch 5-0
- Semi-final: Overcame Marc Spalt 5-2, demonstrating incredible resilience by fighting back from a 0-2 deficit to seal the match with a strong 11-darter.
The final saw him face fellow young talent Elias Jahn. Here, Schneider delivered a crucial break to go 3-1 up. After narrowly missing an 88 on the bullseye, he then produced a show-stopping 95-finish via D19-D19 to clinch the title 6-3, securing his place in darts history.
Elias Jahn: A Future Champion in the Making
Despite the final defeat, the MyDartCoach Championship was also a massive success for 16-year-old Elias Jahn. No stranger to deep tournament runs, Jahn had reached the last 16 two years prior and narrowly missed match darts against a Super League participant in last year’s final. Throughout the day, Jahn consistently maintained an impressive average around 80 points, showcasing remarkable consistency under pressure.
His journey was marked by a thrilling display of nerves and skill in the last 32, where he was 0-3 down against Dennis Hubrich but fought back to win, closing out legs in 16, 17, 16, and 15 darts. He then comfortably defeated Felix Kühn and Marcel Hausotter, both with a 5-3 scoreline, again pushing his average well over the 80-mark against Hausotter. After a decisive 5-1 victory over Rene Steinhauer in the semi-final, only the sensational Ben Schneider could halt his charge.
Tournament Highlights and Notable Performances
The championship was packed with drama and upsets from start to finish. Early on, Leon Remde became a talking point, as he successively eliminated strong contenders like Tour Card holder Leon Weber and Jaimy van de Weerd. His impressive run only ended in the quarter-finals against Marc Spalt.
Marcel Hausotter, who had defeated defending champion Maximilian Czerwinski (another Tour Card holder) earlier in the tournament, was considered a strong favorite for the title. He also overcame other notable players like Fabian Heidemann, Sebastian Steinmetz, and Jonas Aplowski before his exit.
The depth of talent was evident as many established players, including Kevin Jußen and Lenny Schlüter, exited in the last 32, with others like Finn Behrens, Christopher Toonders, Deniz Baudis, and Jan Schmidt leaving a round earlier.
Doubles Dominance: Van de Weerd and Steinmetz Triumph
After a surprising early exit in the singles tournament, Jaimy van de Weerd, one of Germany’s most in-form players, found redemption in the doubles competition. Partnering with Sebastian Steinmetz, their duo proved to be the strongest among 183 pairings.
Their challenging path to victory included:
- Defeating World Masters finalists Deniz Baudis and Tom Sombeck in the last 64.
- Showcasing an impressive 95 average in a thrilling 4-3 win against Lenny Schlüter and Kilian Hohnstedt.
- Eliminating both individual finalists’ pairings: Ben Schneider and Lucas Lanz in the quarter-finals, and Elias Jahn and Johann Haßheider in the semi-finals.
In the final against Leon Weber and Daniel Zadach, van de Weerd demonstrated nerves of steel with crucial checkouts, before Steinmetz landed the championship dart, securing a well-deserved victory.
A Resounding Success for the Organizers
Event organizer Micha Wattenberg expressed immense satisfaction, particularly with the smooth execution of the schedule, which saw the singles final conclude by 9 PM – significantly earlier than in previous years. The tournament also enjoyed strong commercial success, with raffle tickets and specially designed tournament shirts finding numerous eager buyers.
Perhaps most encouraging was the overwhelming turnout and enthusiasm from participants across the entire Republic of Germany, the Netherlands, and even a quartet of “Bullhitters” and the renowned “The Darts Referee” Jack Langston from England, who all undertook long journeys to compete. This widespread appeal ensures that a return of the MyDartCoach Championship next year is not just likely, but assured.
MyDartCoach Championship 2023 – Key Results
Singles Tournament (Saturday)
Quarter-finals:
- Marcel Hausotter 3-5 Elias Jahn (Averages: 91.4 – 85.2)
- Rene Steinhauer 5-1 Kilian Hohnstedt (Averages: 73.5 – 67.4)
- Leon Remde 3-5 Marc Spalt (Averages: 78.6 – 82.5)
- Ben Schneider 5-0 Marvin Koch (Averages: 78.3 – 57.2)
Semi-finals:
- Elias Jahn 5-1 Rene Steinhauer (Averages: 82.8 – 75.2)
- Marc Spalt 2-5 Ben Schneider (Averages: 77.3 – 87.6)
Final:
- Elias Jahn 3-6 Ben Schneider (Averages: 82.8 – 81.5)
Doubles Tournament (Sunday)
Semi-finals:
- Sebastian Steinmetz/Jaimy van de Weerd 4-2 Elias Jahn/Johann Haßheider (Averages: 78.1 – 70.1)
- Leon Weber/Daniel Zadach 4-1 Francesco Marcone/Jonathan Parvaneh
Final:
- Sebastian Steinmetz/Jaimy van de Weerd 5-2 Leon Weber/Daniel Zadach (Averages: 78.5 – 74.8)
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
