Luke Littler, 17, nominated for prestigious award as darts star is tipped to ‘take over the world’

LUKE LITTLER has been nominated for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.

The teenager has been a roaring success this year, catapulting himself up the world rankings and into national fame.

Rex

Luke Littler has enjoyed a remarkable year[/caption]

Olympic medalist Sky Brown has also been nominated for the award

He is one of the top three favourites for the prize, along with skateboarding Olympic bronze medalist Sky Brown, 16, and Paralympic swimmer William Ellard, 18.

Other contenders for the award include Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri as well as Mia Brookes (snowboarding), Cat Ferguson (cycling), Phoebe Gill (athletics), Abigail Martin (gymnastics), Bly Twomey (para-table tennis) and Iona Winnifrith (para-swimming).

Littler has enjoyed a meteoric rise and he is delighted to be nominated for the award.

He said: “It’s been an amazing year and to be in the running for Young Sports Personality of the Year tops it off.

“If I’ve brought more fans to darts, then that’s all that matters to me.”

While BBC Radio 1 Breakfast presenter, Greg James said: “These three are already well on their way to being household names and considering it’s so early on in their careers, don’t be surprised if they take over the world.”

Littler was ranked 164th in the world at the start of the year. He is now fourth.

The 17-year-old reached the final of the World Darts Championship before winning Premier League Darts on his debut.

He also won his first major by scooping the Grand Slam of Darts, and in doing so became an oche millionaire with his prize money winnings this year.

Littler is also in the running to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year and is the second favourite to win amongst the bookies.

He faces stiff competition for that gong from Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson.