Amid the electric atmosphere of the 2025 Blåkläder Flanders Darts Trophy at Antwerp’s Expo on August 30, a heartwarming moment eclipsed the dart-throwing heroics, captivating the raucous Belgian crowd. During a break in the second-round matches, a local fan named Pieter Janssen seized the opportunity to propose to his partner, Elise Moreau, in front of thousands at the Antwerp Expo, turning the darts spectacle into an unforgettable celebration of love. The proposal, executed with charm and a touch of nerves, became the talk of the tournament, momentarily stealing the spotlight from stars like Luke Littler and Stephen Bunting.
The Flanders Darts Trophy, the tenth stop on the 2025 PDC European Tour, has been a whirlwind of high-octane darts, with 48 players vying for a £30,000 top prize from a £175,000 purse. Yet, it was Janssen’s heartfelt gesture that left the crowd roaring louder than any 180. As the lights dimmed between matches, he took to the stage, microphone in hand, and dropped to one knee before a beaming Moreau. “Elise, you’ve been my biggest supporter, through every dart match and every moment of life. Will you marry me?” Janssen asked, his voice trembling with emotion. The crowd erupted as Moreau, visibly moved, nodded yes, sparking a wave of cheers that rivaled the noise for defending champion Dave Chisnall’s 2024 victory. The couple embraced, and the jumbotron captured Moreau’s tearful smile as Janssen slipped a ring onto her finger, a moment later replayed on VTM 2’s live broadcast.
The Antwerp Expo, known for its vibrant darts atmosphere, has a history of memorable moments, with 287 maximum 180s recorded in the tournament’s debut last year. This year, the energy was no less intense, with local hero Kim Huybrechts describing the venue as “electric” after his first-round win. “This is going to be in the top three of my best moments in life,” Huybrechts had said of playing for his hometown crowd, a sentiment echoed by the fans who witnessed Janssen’s proposal. The romantic interlude added a new layer to the event’s legacy, with social media buzzing as fans shared clips of the moment, one calling it “the real bullseye of the night.”
Janssen, a lifelong darts enthusiast from Antwerp, had planned the proposal for weeks, coordinating with tournament organizers to ensure a seamless moment. “I knew this was the place to do it,” he later told a reporter, his arm around Moreau. “Darts is our passion, and this crowd, this energy—it’s like nothing else. I wanted to make it special for her.” Moreau, a schoolteacher who met Janssen at a local darts club five years ago, admitted she was “completely shocked but so happy.” The couple’s love for darts was evident, as they sported matching shirts emblazoned with “The Hurricane” in honor of Huybrechts.
The tournament itself delivered plenty of drama. Luke Littler, the 18-year-old sensation, stormed into the last 16 with a 6-0 rout of Dylan Slevin, boasting a 100% checkout rate. “It just felt like home,” Littler said of the Belgian crowd, a feeling Janssen clearly shared. Meanwhile, upsets abounded as top seeds like Michael van Gerwen and defending champion Chisnall fell early, paving the way for underdogs like Belgium’s Mario Vandenbogaerde, who thrilled fans with wins over Michael Smith and Jonny Clayton. The absence of Gerwyn Price, sidelined by a hand infection, added to the unpredictability, with Ryan Joyce earning a bye to the third round.
As the tournament heads into its final day on August 31, with matches like Littler versus Ryan Searle and Vandenbogaerde against Danny Noppert, the buzz around Janssen’s proposal lingers. Fans on social media praised the moment’s authenticity, with one post noting, “In a room full of darts, love hit the perfect score.” The Flanders Darts Trophy, already a highlight of the European Tour, has now etched a romantic chapter into its history, proving that sometimes, the most memorable moments happen off the oche.
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