Former World Trophy winner Mieke de Boer looks back on career: "I wanted to be the best but never had the ambition"

At the beginning of 2002, a new sensation seemed to arise in women's darts in the form of the 22-year-old Dutchman, Mieke de Boer who won the BDO World Darts Trophy but despite a brilliant career potentially awaiting her, she soon disappeared.

Nicknamed 'Bambie', De Boer became well known in the Netherlands and was also featured back then in Playboy. "For the Dutch audience it seemed like I came out of nowhere. However, I played from the age of 8, was in the seniors at 17 and quickly played international. I had been busy for years, but the Netherlands suddenly saw a young, blond girl visiting the scene, "said de Boer to nos.nl .  

Fall from grace

With her win at the World Darts Trophy, she also qualified for the BDO World Championship in 2003, where she lost in the semi-finals against reigning world champion Trina Gulliver. Afterwards however she disappeared after appearing at the 2004 event. "I was unhappy. I wanted to be the best, but never had the ambition to become the female Phil Taylor and win every tournament ten times. I played some more, but it went so badly. I was so deeply sad. . "

De Boer could earn a lot of money from exhibitions, but that turned out not to be her thing. “Many darts players thought it was fantastic, not me. Unknown people who expect something from you that is not necessary for me. Then I thought: just let me sit in a corner and do my own thing. "

Needed security at height of fame

It even got to the point where de Boer needed security. "I was in my early twenties at the time. The whole of the Netherlands was under the spell of darts at that time. At some tournaments I had to go with five security guards, because there were all fans around me. I thought that was quite intense. start getting into the spotlight, you know. I did analysis work for TV and was in a certain magazine. But I also found it complicated. Everyone thinks something about you. Now I'm forty and I think: whatever. But when you're young, you have trouble with that. "

De Boer is now working as a sales manager and has been really happy again for a few years now. She only sporadically plays darts in a local competition. "Just for fun, you know. I think I could have continued at the top for many more years in terms of talent. Then I might have had a much larger honours list. But I was done in the darts. At the moment you aren't happy, you should move on. And so I went. "