Luke Littler made history on Friday by becoming the youngest world champion in darts, showcasing his incredible talent at just 17 years old. This remarkable achievement unfolded at the energetic Alexandra Palace in London, where Littler triumphed over three-time champion Michael van Gerwen with a score of 7-3 in the final.
“Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy,” Littler remarked, adding that he was astonished to have claimed the winner’s prize of £500,000 (around $620,000). This victory marks a significant milestone in Littler’s extraordinary journey in the sport, which began in Warrington, northwest England. First picking up a dart at the tender age of 18 months, Littler has been on a meteoric rise, becoming the junior world champion in 2023 and reaching the world final last year at only 16, where he fell short against top-ranked Luke Humphries.
His rapid ascent has propelled him into the limelight, garnering fame that transcends the darts community and revitalizing interest in the sport reminiscent of its glory days in the 1980s. With immense pressure and high expectations on his shoulders, Littler returned to the world final a year later and surged ahead, initially leading 4-0 in sets against van Gerwen, who is also renowned for his youthful success, having won titles in 2014, 2017, and 2019.
Although van Gerwen clawed back the score to 4-1, then 5-2 and later 6-3, Littler remained focused and resilient, eventually sealing his victory and shedding tears of joy upon hitting the decisive double. “Wow, wow, wow,” he exclaimed in disbelief. After the match, he expressed his initial nervousness at being 2-0 up but reassured himself to relax and push through, emphasizing the significance of completing such a monumental feat.
Previously, van Gerwen held the record for being the youngest world champion in the Professional Darts Corporation, having won his title at the age of 24. Additionally, Jelle Klaasen captured the now-defunct British Darts Organisation world title in 2006 at age 21. Although van Gerwen admitted that losing his record was painful, he praised Littler’s extraordinary abilities. “Every 17 years a star gets born,” he noted, highlighting Littler as one such talent.
With this inaugural title at such a young age, conversations about Littler potentially matching Phil Taylor’s astounding record of 16 world titles are already gaining momentum. John Part, a three-time world champion from Canada, remarked on Littler’s capabilities and mindset, emphasizing that he was molded to become a champion, not merely a skilled dart player. “He was the best at each age level he has gone through,” Part stated, acknowledging Littler’s innate understanding of winning and his unyielding composure under pressure.
