On the finish of the second set of the ultimate of the World Darts Championship, the largest sport in one of many greatest indoor sports activities on the earth, Luke Littler calmly strolled off stage, gave his household a wry, realizing smile and rubbed his arms collectively like he had the prescient foresight of the beating he was about to dish out.
The person, no, the boy that 3,000 individuals had crammed inside London’s Alexandra Palace to see produce historical past, plus hundreds of thousands extra watching at residence and in pubs across the UK and the world, was doing it not simply with dispassionate ease, or with flamboyant model, however with disdainful relish.
Darts finals have been gained extra handsomely — the game’s all-time nice Phil Taylor dished out three 7-0 whitewashes in his heyday — however not like this. By no means like this.
Luke Littler is 17. He has facial hair that males a few years his senior yearn to develop and in a sport that has its historical past rooted in pubs, Littler just isn’t but capable of drink alcohol in a single.
And but he already carries the bravado and stage persona of somebody prepared to guide the game down roads it has by no means visited earlier than, which is precisely what he’s already doing.
Like Pele and Serena Williams, Littler has gained one among sport’s greatest prizes whereas nonetheless a young person (Ben Stansall/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
Littler has already helped push darts additional in the direction of the mainstream within the UK, with viewing figures on Sky Sports activities, a subscription service, up virtually 200 per cent for some tournaments in 2024, following document numbers of 4.8 million for final yr’s remaining (probably the most watched non-football occasion within the broadcaster’s historical past), which a then-16-year-old Littler misplaced to Luke Humphries.
Now, by turning into world champion, he has earned the precise to enter the pantheon of youthful sporting legends. Certain, Pele was good with a soccer at 17, however may he throw three treble-20s at a purple, inexperienced and black board from virtually two-and-a-half metres away?
Serena Williams gained the US Open at 17, Ian Thorpe was the identical age when he gained Olympic gold within the pool, Sachin Tendulkar was 16 when he made his India debut and snooker magician Ronnie O’Sullivan was 17 when he gained the UK Championship. What units Littler aside in his specific subject is that he has change into the best present participant on the earth in all the sport earlier than he has change into an grownup.
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Why is he so good? Is it pure expertise? Nicely, he’s been enjoying darts since his dad purchased him a magnetic dart board from the pound store when he was 18 months outdated. He’s not sufficiently old to vote, however he’s mainly been practising for this second virtually his total, quick life.
And it’s not all youthful exuberance and freshness, both. Littler had psychological scars from dropping final yr’s remaining regardless of being 4-2 up (he watched it again simply hours earlier than Friday’s match to recap what went improper), however he was relentless and cruel in his pursuit of victory right here in north London, bulldozing right into a 4-0 lead in opposition to one of many best gamers to ever chuck an arrow, three-time champion Michael van Gerwen.
The teen later mentioned he felt nervous after taking that early lead, however his actions in obliterating among the finest gamers on the earth recommended the precise reverse.
He unyieldingly hammered the treble mattress like he was utilizing a dart-sized jackhammer, ploughing good tiny holes within the helpless board as he sculpted his journey to greatness.
With the throwing arms of a sporting artist, Littler smiled and waved to the group, speaking to them and himself all through, in full management of his personal future.
Littler surpassed Van Gerwen’s document because the youngest darts world champion in historical past (James Fearn/Getty Pictures)
He didn’t simply attempt to win, he tried to supply darts from the Gods whereas he was at it. He stored leaving himself on 170, darts’ greatest outshot to win a leg, which occurred too often to not be deliberate. Darts gamers usually look pained after they miss a nine-darter (i.e. darting perfection of successful a leg with the smallest attainable variety of throws), however Littler simply gave a nonchalant shrug when he missed the seventh dart like he knew he would get one other likelihood.
A powerless Van Gerwen, the winner of 157 PDC (Skilled Darts Company) titles, may solely scowl and grimace like Dick Dastardly in a lime inexperienced shirt.
The Dutchman was as soon as the youngest world champion, aged 24. The symbolism of a weighty dart-shaped baton being handed to the subsequent technology right here was irresistible.
Van Gerwen rallied, as champions do, clinging to Littler’s coattails as they swapped the subsequent six units, nevertheless it was by no means going to be sufficient in entrance of a deliriously partisan crowd, drunk on booze and throwing. He could give off the looks of a mix of Bond villains, half Blofeld together with his shiny bald head, half Jaws with a grille throughout his chops, however he may solely play the dangerous man for therefore lengthy in opposition to a tidal wave of trebles and tons.
Littler was simply too good. At any time when Van Gerwen got here up for air, {the teenager} pushed him again underwater with one hand and hit double 10 with the opposite.
“Wow… wow,” Littler mentioned to himself as he welled up having simply hit double 16 to win 7-3, affirm the title and change into £500,000 ($621,056 at present conversion charges) richer. He muttered “I can’t consider it” thrice in his speedy post-match interview.
“At 2-0 up, I began getting nervous, however I mentioned to myself, ‘Simply loosen up’.
“That first sport in opposition to Ryan Meikle, it’s the sport that basically mattered.”
Littler cried on stage after that second-round victory over Meikle earlier than Christmas. He broke down, couldn’t end an interview, left the stage and went to present his mum a hug.
On the prepare journey right down to London earlier that day, he couldn’t anticipate the match to start out, however when he threw his first dart he mainly, paraphrasing his personal phrases, bottled it.
“I’ve by no means felt something like that,” he later mentioned after composing himself. “It was a bizarre feeling… it’s the largest stage on the market. It was in all probability the hardest sport I’ve performed.”
To show his otherworldly nature, he had in some way produced the best set of darts ever seen within the historical past of the world championships on the finish of that “hardest” match, averaging greater than 140, however sure, he had began it like a glorified pub participant by his personal extremely excessive requirements.
“I’m considering to myself; ‘What are you doing? Simply loosen up’,” Littler mentioned.
Littler throughout his stroll out for the ultimate in opposition to Michael van Gerwen at Alexandra Palace (James Fearn/Getty Pictures)
It’s no marvel, what with the big stress on his younger shoulders at being the favorite to raise the title aged simply 17, a standard child from Runcorn, a small city close to Liverpool within the north-west of England, who eats kebabs and likes soccer.
Thereafter, all through virtually the entire match, he was imperious, reflecting the shape that noticed him rise from 164th to fourth on the earth rankings final yr.
Regardless of the unimaginable enhance in cash, fame, recognition and publicity, the 1.5 million Instagram followers, the infinite tv appearances and mixing it with Max Verstappen or his heroes at Manchester United, he stayed targeted, successful 10 PDC titles, the Premier League, Grand Slam and World Sequence finals, plus hitting 4 good nine-darters alongside the best way and incomes greater than £1million ($1.2m) in prize cash.
He was probably the most searched athlete of the yr on Google and the runner-up within the BBC Sports activities Character of the 12 months award.
“Littler has captivated individuals as a result of he’s relatable,” Sky Sports activities darts presenter Emma Paton informed The Athletic earlier within the match. “He’s taken the game to completely different locations… Darts has by no means had this publicity earlier than. It’s not even due to what he’s carried out within the sport, which has been ridiculous by the best way, nevertheless it’s the influence he’s had on it.
“In comparison with a number of different sportspeople, darts gamers are refreshingly sincere and are mainly simply being themselves and Luke is not any completely different. He’s only a child on the finish of the day.
“Individuals have requested me, ‘What’s it like talking to Luke Littler? It doesn’t seem to be he has hundreds to say’. I’m like, ‘He’s simply very chilled out, he doesn’t actually care that a lot, he’s only a 17-year-old child’.”
Darts obsessive Littler performs precisely like that, like a child having enjoyable on the stage, ticking off his personal private bucket record of darting goals.
He has an uncanny potential to detach himself utterly from the enormity of the occasion, chat to the group, ignore his opponent and simply play his personal sport, the outdated sporting cliche.
He relishes displaying off the abilities he’s honed over years of apply, increasing on the chances and limits that we thought the game beforehand had. He tries irregular setup photographs, he hits double-doubles or two bullseyes. He basically takes the apply board to the world stage.
After which, when he must, a steely glint of willpower emanates from his eyes and an unforgiving rhythm of 180s ensues. He can flip it on like few within the sport ever have earlier than.
An emotional Littler reacts after successful the PDC World Championship (Ben Stansall/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
“I generally say, each 17 years a star will get born,” a humbled Van Gerwen mentioned. “He’s one among them… Each likelihood he bought, each second he needed to damage me, he did it.”
World champion, well-known, a millionaire. What on earth subsequent, aside from impending maturity?
“I simply wish to add to it, possibly get a number of extra,” Littler mentioned. “If I would like the 16 (Taylor’s document of world titles), then I’m certain I may probably obtain it.
“I’ve been doing this since 18 months outdated on a magnetic board carrying a nappy.
“Once I’d say to my mates I’ve bought a darts competitors, they’d be like, ‘Darts?!’ ‘Yeah, darts, have you ever not seen it?’”
They’re all seeing it now, due to an unassuming 17-year-old lad who can throw arrows like few ever have earlier than.
(High photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
