He had, once again, the opportunity to make history. He didn’t miss it. At 17, Luke Littler became the youngest world darts champion in history, facing Michael Van Gerwen this Friday evening in London (7-3). The young Briton, already winner of the prestigious Premier League in May, sees himself propelled more than ever to the forefront of the international scene.
Defeated last year in the World Cup final against his compatriot and world number 1 Luke Humphries, the kid, who will reach the age of majority on January 21, impressed all observers by dismissing all the biggest names in his sport. He has since become a huge star in England, the cradle of the growing reputation of darts.
Huge popularity in England
The native of Runcorn, a town on the banks of the Mersey wedged between Liverpool and Manchester, has made a habit, since his rise last year, of bringing the crowds at Alexandra Palace (London) to their feet and, above all, of ensuring to arrive in front of the target with full confidence.
“We’re in a certain routine here. You play your match, you eat something and you go to sleep. This is how it happens every day. But it’s not like I need a day off, because I don’t really train,” the Briton confided to Sky Sports before his semi-final (won 6-1 against Stephen Bunting) . An overflowing simplicity that the young man never lets go of, just like his games console that he doesn’t hesitate to take with him during competition periods to relax.
Beyond his attraction to video games, “Luke the nuke” (from his nickname “Luke the atomic bomb”) is also renowned for being a kebab and Manchester United fanatic and has no less than 1.5 million subscribers on Instagram. He has just received the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
Dominated by Luke Humphries in the final of the last edition, Luke Littler did not have to meet his tormentor this year. After eliminating the only Frenchman in the running Thibault Tricole in the second round, world number 1 Humphries lost to everyone’s surprise against Scottish player Peter Wright in the round of 16.
At the same time, Littler disgusted his compatriot Ryan Joyce in a tense encounter (4-3). He then made short work of world No. 4 Nathan Aspinall (5-2) in the quarter-finals, before giving 2014 world champion Stephen Bunting no chance to reach the final (6-1). He therefore dominated the triple world champion Michael van Gerwen (35 years old), taken by the throat from the start and beaten without contest (7-3), for a final in apotheosis.
