The Warrington teenager is known for celebrating wins with a takeaway and was landing repeated 180 maximums as he swatted aside Raymond van Barneveld, who had won several world titles before Littler was even born. There was something paternal about how the older champion congratulated the rising star.
Littler now advances into a quarter-final today on track to become the sport’s youngest-ever world champion, inspiring pride but not surprise in those who have witnessed his extraordinary rise from the Cheshire county darts team to contending for a £500,000 prize at Alexandra Palace.
“Look at his eyes,” said Karl Holden, who co-founded the St Helens Darts Academy, where Littler learned his craft. “He is focused when he gets to the oche . He is always thinking and working out which way to go.”
Holden described Littler as “an incredible kid” and didn’t dispute the suggestion Littler was shaping up as the Lionel Messi of darts – lasering in on the treble 20 with a single-minded drive redolent of the world’s greatest footballer tearing towards goal. “ He is up to entertain the crowd.”
The Ally Pally darts crowd can be wild – 3,000 cheering fans in varying stages of intoxication and fancy dress. The venue echoes to chants of “ You’ve got school in the morning” when Littler is on the stage. But it is something Littler appears to love, egging on the fans on Saturday night.
Esta historia es de la edición January 01, 2024 de The Guardian.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición January 01, 2024 de The Guardian.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Money hacks How to use your Christmas gift vouchers wisely
The first thing to do is read the small print (it could be very small if it is squeezed on the back).
'It's not job done' More change to come as M&S gets its spark back
M&S menswear, above, is starting to compete for style with specialist rivals while the company's menswear has successfully caught the attention of younger buyers
Taken to court ... as a victim of identity theft
A fraudulent phone contract has been taken out in my husband's name and he is now threatened with court action.
New start Is 2025 the right time to become your own boss?
Going freelance is not without risk but if you want to shed the shackles of your 9-5, then Suzanne Bearne can help you plan it properly
Feeling the heat British Gas hit by 400,000 complaints
It has been both astonishing and appalling in equal measure,\" says Jonathan Hattersley, 66, from Cambridgeshire.
Biden Blocks Japanese Firm's $15bn Bid for US Steel Over Security Fears
Joe Biden blocked a $14.9bn (£12bn) bid by Japan's Nippon Steel for US Steel yesterday, citing concerns the deal could hurt national security and following through on a pledge to keep the company domestically owned as he prepares to depart the White House.
We're like snipers' Lethal and cheap, drones dominate the frontline now
Denys, a soldier with Ukraine's Khyzhak brigade, describes a new kind of war. Standing in a barracks workshop with piles of basic Ukrainian first-person view (FPV) drones behind him, he says: \"There are fewer gunfights because there are more drone fights.\" Frontlines that were once a gunshot apart are now a killing zone several miles deep as Russian and Ukrainian drone squads hidden behind the frontlines target each other's forces with aerial attacks. \"Back in 2022, we were still running around with machine guns from the tree lines,\" Denys says, almost with nostalgia.
Profits at GB News owner's hedge fund plunge 64%
Profits at the hedge fund co-founded by the GB News and Spectator owner Sir Paul Marshall plunged by almost two-thirds last year, resulting in significantly reduced payouts for its partners.
Call to stick to tougher green targets amid record EV sales
Carmakers sold a record number of electric cars in the UK last year, prompting environmental groups to urge the government to stick to tougher green targets even as the industry argues they are unsustainable.
Handbags and watches help take Thailand PM's declared worth to £322m
Thailand's prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has declared £322m in assets, including a collection of 217 designer handbags and 75 luxury watches in submissions on her wealth to a government body.
