Moreno Blom Explained

Moreno Blom
Fullname:Moreno Giovanni Blom
Nickname:"MB"
Birth Date:24 October 2001
Birth Place:Mijdrecht, Netherlands
Hometown:Vinkeveen, Netherlands
Since:2015
Laterality:Left-handed
Pdc:2020–
Wdf:2022–
Currentrank:(WDF)
(PDC)
Bdo World:Last 32: 2023
World Masters:Group Stages: 2022
Dutch Open:Last 256: 2022

Moreno Giovanni Blom (born 24 October 2001) is a Dutch professional darts player who currently plays in World Darts Federation (WDF) and Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He is a Hungarian Classic Champion.

Career

Blom was fourteen when he started his adventure with darts. During the first period of his career, he played only in local tournaments. As part of the local team, he plays with Jermaine Wattimena. In 2020, he took part in international PDC Development Tour tournaments for the first time. In late September, he threw the nine-dart finish during the second round match against Brian Raman.[1] He competed in the 2020 PDC World Youth Championship. In the Group Stage, he beat his fellowmen Levy Frauenfelder and Maikel Verberk, and advanced to second round. He defeated Joshua Richardson in the knockout phase match and finally lost to Jeffrey de Zwaan in the third round.[2]

After the season ended, he participated in online tournaments where he was once caught during cheating. In the next season, he took part in the PDC Challenge Tour and PDC Development Tour tournaments several times, but without success.[3] No qualifications for the PDC World Youth Championship made Blom change his career strategy and switch to playing in the World Darts Federation (WDF) tournaments. Already at the beginning of 2022, during the Slovak Masters, he was advanced to the final of the tournament, but lost to Neil Duff by 2–5 in legs.[4] He took part in the 2022 Dutch Open in June, but was eliminated in the fourth round despite being seeded.

At the end of October, he won Hungarian Classic. This is his first international tournament won. He defeated Benjamin Pratnemer in the final by 5–3 in legs.[5] By this achievement, he securing debut in the 2023 WDF World Darts Championship and qualified for the 2022 Winmau World Masters.

Controversies

In December 2020, Blom was caught cheating during an online darts tournament. Footage showed that Blom threw a dart in the board after having a bounce out with the same dart earlier; he also submitted incorrect scores during the match. Blom admitted the allegations afterwards. The tournament organizer decided to have Blom removed from the tournament and disqualified for every next tournament of that platform. This situation did not entail any additional consequences.[6]

World Championship results

WDF

Performance timeline

Tournament 2020 2021 2022 2023
WDF Ranked televised events
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PDC Non-ranked televised events
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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Barry and Evetts secure Development Tour titles as 18-year-old Blom hits nine-darter . dartsplanet.tv . 7 November 2022.
  2. Web site: Brooks & Davis reach Unicorn World Youth Championship final . . 7 November 2022.
  3. Web site: Campbell doubles up in Niedernhausen . dartsworld.co.uk . 7 November 2022.
  4. Web site: Moreno Blom is runner-up op Slovak Masters 2022 . dartfreakz.nl . 7 November 2022.
  5. Web site: Hungarian Classic Men 2022 . . 7 November 2022.
  6. Web site: Dutch darts talent caught on cheating during online darts tournament . dartsnews.com . 7 November 2022.