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Darts sensation Luke Littler has won the 2024 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
Littler was also second in the voting for the main sports personality prize at the end of a year which began with him, aged 16, becoming the youngest player to reach the final of the PDC World Championship.
Finishing as runner-up to Luke Humphries, the historic run made Littler one of the most talked-about teenagers in Britain and he subsequently went on to be crowned Premier League champion and win the Grand Slam of Darts.
As he accepted his award at Tuesday’s ceremony in Salford, the now 17-year-old said on stage: “It goes to show how well I’ve done this year.
“But not only myself, (we) changed the sport of darts, all the other professionals, but I have played a big part in it.”
Asked about inspiring people, he said: “I know the amount of academies that have been brought up in different locations, how big the sport has got, tickets selling out for Ally Pally (Alexandra Palace, for the ongoing World Championship) in hours, and the Premier League, they sold out quick as well.
“It just goes to show how much I’ve changed it.”
Littler’s Premier League success made him the youngest ever winner of a PDC title, and his victory last month at the prestigious Grand Slam of Darts made him just the fourth player in history to win 10 trophies in one season.
As he targets World Championship glory, his earnings for the year have surpassed £1million.
Olympic skateboarder Sky Brown and para-swimmer Will Ellard were the other nominees on the young personality shortlist.
In the main sports personality voting, Littler finished behind Olympic 800 metres champion Keely Hodgkinson, wile England cricket star Joe Root was third.