Luke Littler - a sporting miracle emerges: Editorial

Luke Littler reacts during his match against Rob Cross during their World Darts Championship semifinal. Photo / Getty Images

EDITORIAL

A Christmas sporting miracle emerged over the past fortnight at London’s Alexandra Palace.

Luke Littler, a 16-year-old British darts prodigy, made the final on debut at the world championships. He lost to Luke Humphries - narrowly - but can now rightfully consider himself one of the code’s biggest names.

To offer context, the previous youngest person to make the decider was 2014 winner Michael van Gerwen, when he was aged 24.

Littler has achieved the feat by combining the purest of natural hand-eye talent, a practice regimen that began as a toddler throwing at a magnetic board, and a level of composure akin to collapsing on the sofa in front of the telly with your favourite takeaway on a Friday night.

Speaking of food, Littler claims he has been a stickler for routine building up to matches. That includes wolfing a ham-and-cheese omelette for breakfast and tucking into a pizza upon arrival at the venue. He hasn’t shirked the task post-game either, treating himself to kebabs washed down by Coke or Fanta. Hail a poster child for athletic candour and counter-intuitive nutrition.

The joy of watching Littler is highlighted by his casual marksmanship. His clinical 180s might one day join the ranks of a Tiger Woods backswing, a Sachin Tendulkar checked drive or an Andre Agassi return of serve in the pantheon of sporting wunderkind signature moves.

Littler averaged 106 with each flurry of arrows at the oche in his semifinal win over 2018 champion Rob Cross, a figure only bettered at that stage of the tournament by former victors van Gerwen, Gary Anderson and Raymond van Barneveld. Curiously, he beat the latter in the round of 16. Van Barneveld won his last world title on New Year’s Day 2007, 20 days before Littler was born.

Littler has been teased by the crowd with a “you’ve got school in the morning” chant and tournament rules mean wearing the sponsor’s patch of gambling firm Paddy Power is forbidden, as are drinking alcohol, driving or voting. However, the teenager can bank prize money of NZ$405,000 for finishing runner-up. That’s a bullseye in financial compensation.