Jelle Klaasen | |||||||||||||||||||
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
Nickname | The Cobra | ||||||||||||||||||
Born |
Alphen, Netherlands |
17 October 1984 ||||||||||||||||||
Home town |
Goor Netherlands |
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Darts information | |||||||||||||||||||
Playing darts since | 2003 | ||||||||||||||||||
Darts | Monster Darts 'The Cobra' 22g | ||||||||||||||||||
Laterality | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||
Walk-on music | "Sex On Fire" by Kings Of Leon | ||||||||||||||||||
Organisation (see split in darts) | |||||||||||||||||||
BDO | 2004–2007 | ||||||||||||||||||
PDC | 2007– | ||||||||||||||||||
Current world ranking | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||
BDO majors - best performances | |||||||||||||||||||
World Ch'ship | Winner: 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||
World Masters | Last 128: 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||
World Darts Trophy | Last 16: 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||
Int. Darts League | Last 16, Group: 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||
Zuiderduin Masters | Last 24, Group: 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||
PDC premier events - best performances | |||||||||||||||||||
World Ch'ship | Semi-finals: 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||
World Matchplay | Quarter-finals: 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||
World Grand Prix | Quarter-finals: 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam | Quarter-finals: 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||
Premier League | 7th: 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||
Desert Classic | Last 16: 2008, 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||
European Ch'ship | Semi-finals: 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||
UK Open | Semi-finals: 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||
US Open/WSoD | Semi-finals: 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||
Players Ch'ship Finals | Last 16: 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||
The Masters | Last 16: 2016, 2017 | ||||||||||||||||||
Other tournament wins | |||||||||||||||||||
Players Championships
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Other achievements | |||||||||||||||||||
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Players Championships
Jelle Klaasen (born 17 October 1984) is a Dutch professional darts player who plays in the Professional Darts Corporation and is the youngest darts player to win the World Darts Championship. His nickname is The Cobra. He lives in Goor, Netherlands. He has Indonesian origins.
On 15 January 2006, he became the youngest World Darts Champion, aged 21 years 90 days, when he defeated fellow Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld in the final of the 2006 BDO World Championship by 7 sets to 5. He also beat Shaun Greatbatch and world number one Mervyn King on his way to the final. Before the championship, he was said to be a 100-1 outsider to win the title as he did not even have a BDO Tour ranking.
Klaasen returned to the Lakeside to defend his World title at the 2007 Championship. Klaasen was unseeded for the event after a poor run of form and was facing the seeded Co Stompé, with eventual winner Martin Adams waiting in round two should he win.
Klaasen became the sixth defending champion to fall at the first hurdle in his title defence with his first round loss to fellow countryman Stompé by three sets to nil. Although Klaasen was lower in the rankings at the time, it was considered an upset as Stompé had not won at the Lakeside in the previous four years.
The day after the final it was announced that Klaasen would be defecting to the rival Professional Darts Corporation, alongside two fellow countrymen, Michael van Gerwen and Vincent van der Voort. The BDO planned to take legal action as Jelle had a year left on his contract.