Luke Littler’s best chance of winning this year’s Sports Personality of the Year award may be by losing in the final, some users on social media have joked.
At 16 years of age, Littler is on the verge of arguably the greatest triumph in darts history.
His win over Raymond van Barneveld in the fourth round got everyone off their seat to stand up and take Littler as a serious contender to become the world champion.
Brendan Dolan failed to trouble the teenage sensation with No 8 seed Rob Cross providing the toughest challenge for Littler in his semi-final.
Luke Littler is the early bookies’ favourite to win SPOTY
PA
It was the first time in the tournament that Littler looked like the occasion got the better of him at times as he walked away with a large number of trebleless visits.
But he showed maturity beyond his years to quickly recompose himself and eventually ease to victory against the seasoned professional.
Littler is now just one win away from becoming a world champion at the age of 16, joining an illustrious list of sports stars to achieve that feat as teenagers in their respective fields.
Boris Becker won his first Wimbledon title at the age of 17, Martina Hingis achieved the same feat as a 16-year-old while Tom Daley hit the headlines when he won World Diving Championship gold aged just 15.
If Littler goes on to become world champion then he’ll undoubtedly be in the running to become the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year for 2024.
However, some users on social media have joked that Littler’s chances of winning SPOTY may improve if he loses the final after Mary Earps won last year’s crown despite being a part of the Lionesses side that lost in the Women’s World Cup final.
One X user wrote: “Luke Littler must be an early contender for Sports Personality Of The Year? But after last year, he might have to lose the final.”
Another posted: “Presume Luke Littler will win sports personality of the year wether he wins the final or not right? Thats how it works now yea?”
Mary Earps won the Sports Personality of the Year award for 2023
PA
A third wrote: “Luke Littler has already won Sports Personality of the Year. Unless Mary Earps saves a penalty.”
A fourth mocked: “If luke littler wins the final I’ll put money on a woman winning sport personality of the year from being a Golden Boot runner up.”
A darts player has never won the Sports Personality of the Year award with Phil Taylor finishing runner-up to A.P. McCoy in 2010.
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Luke Littler is one win from becoming a world champion
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That year, Taylor broke the world record for the highest average in a televised game when he averaged 118.66 against Kevin Painter at the UK Open.
He also become the first player in darts history to hit two nine-dart finishes in the same match.
And the darts icon also held the World Championship, Premier League, European Championship, World Matchplay and UK Open titles at once.
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