Luke Littler: ‘Ronaldo of darts’ in nappies when he began enjoying
Hard to not begin a chunk on darts superhero Luke ‘the Nuke’ Littler by marvelling at his age. ‘Sixteen! Really? No bloody manner…’ is the fixed chorus amongst, nicely, just about anybody who has seen him stride as much as the oche.
But he actually is that younger. So younger that he cannot drive, has solely simply left college (after bombing his GCSEs), nonetheless lives at dwelling in Warrington and may’t purchase a pint – not legally, anyway.
Not that he appears that bothered. He’s far too busy enjoying Fifa video video games, consuming kebabs, photographing himself consuming kebabs, practising his nine-dart end, proudly kissing his 21-year-old girlfriend Eloise, and planning a celebratory journey to Alton Towers together with his mates. ‘We’ve all the time stated we have to go!’ he cheered.
On Christmas morning, his mum Lisa, 40, who works in a candle store, posted a photograph of him sitting cross-legged by their tree in his dressing robe, excitedly opening a large pile of presents. ‘Just one other regular 16-year-old, opening his prezzys,’ she wrote on social media.
But, after all, Luke is something however. He’s probably the most thrilling factor to occur to darts for many years. Sport usually, in all probability. The world of darts – and hundreds of thousands extra who would not usually know an oche from an elbow – have been transfixed as he powered via to the ultimate of the world championships, which he got here agonisingly near profitable final night time.
![Luke Littler heads out for a British fry up with girlfriend Eloise Milburn before the PDC final at Alexandra Palace](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/03/22/79593241-12924307-image-a-76_1704321942703.jpg)
Luke Littler heads out for a British fry up with girlfriend Eloise Milburn earlier than the PDC closing at Alexandra Palace
![Luke Littler, who has taken the world of darts by storm, smiles as he holds aloft the runners-up trophy](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/03/23/79592041-12924307-Luke_Littler_who_has_taken_the_world_of_darts_by_storm_smiles_as-a-9_1704324744037.jpg)
Luke Littler, who has taken the world of darts by storm, smiles as he holds aloft the runners-up trophy
At Ally Pally, the adoring 3,000-strong crowd – most of whom had by no means heard of Luke a month in the past – waved their foam fingers and yelled at their new hero: ‘You’ve bought college within the morning!’
He’s already sizzling favorite for Sports Personality of the Year 2024. And such a poppet with it, too. Cheery, well mannered, calm, often given to speaking about himself within the third individual, extolling the virtues of pizza to anybody who will hear and, usually, having a superb time. Back in December, he entered the competitors hoping ‘to win only one sport’.
But in some way, regardless of being ranked 164th, he could not cease profitable. Suddenly right here was the Prince of the Palace, leaving a slew of champion gamers – Rob Cross, Brendan Dolan, Raymond van Barneveld, Andrew Gilding (however alas not Luke Humphries, who triumphed final night time) – in his wake, wiping their eyes in bewilderment, and questioning what the heck simply occurred.
Not everybody was shocked, although. Certainly not Luke’s former coach, Karl Holden, co-founder of the St Helens Darts Academy. ‘He was the Ronaldo of darts,’ stated Holden. ‘He was all the time going to be particular.’
Or his dad, Anthony Buckley, 43, a former cabbie and newbie darts fanatic, who purchased his son a magnetic darts board when he was simply 18 months previous and watched, amazed, as he toddled about in his nappy and T-shirt, displaying off a freakishly good throwing motion.
![At six, he threw his first 180. By the time he was nine, he was smashing the under-14s](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/03/23/79593239-12924307-At_six_he_threw_his_first_180_By_the_time_he_was_nine_he_was_sma-a-10_1704324744040.jpg)
At six, he threw his first 180. By the time he was 9, he was smashing the under-14s
Luke bought his first correct darts board when he was 4 and was instantly obsessed – regardless of having to make use of a stool to retrieve the arrows.
At six, he threw his first 180. By the time he was 9, he was smashing the under-14s. And aged 13, he did his first nine-dart end (from a rating of 501) and was adequate to win males’s tournaments.
He’s simply bloody good at darts and has put numerous coaching in, notably throughout lockdown.
Freed from the constraints of college, which was by no means actually his factor – as he places it: ‘Pretty a lot everybody has higher GCSEs than me’, having left his Warrington complete after passing solely sport – he was immediately capable of play darts as much as 12 hours a day.
Now, his strict day by day routine sees him getting up at midday, whether or not he is at dwelling in Warrington or in London and all through the match, to start a great dose of Fifa gaming earlier than choosing up a dart. He and Eloise, a magnificence therapist who’s finding out criminology, met enjoying on-line.
And his tried-and-tested dietary plan is one thing that might ground most of us in a day or two.
![Freed from the constraints of school, he was suddenly able to play darts up to 12 hours a day](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/03/23/79593237-12924307-Freed_from_the_constraints_of_school_he_was_suddenly_able_to_pla-a-12_1704324744054.jpg)
Freed from the constraints of college, he was immediately capable of play darts as much as 12 hours a day
He follows an enormous cheese and ham omelette for breakfast (at lunchtime) with a pizza a bit later and, for dinner, a bulging doner kebab. And, often, a KFC takeaway to combine issues up a bit. ‘If it is not damaged then do not repair it,’ is his motto.
Of course, reaching the ultimate of a contest like this at Ally Pally adjustments every little thing.
It’s not simply the prize cash (£200,000 for the runner-up), profitable sponsorship offers and infinite freebies – even earlier than the ultimate, one kebab store in London provided him free doners for all times if he received. Suddenly, everybody is aware of Luke the Nuke, the Prince of the Palace, Cool Hand Luke. His social media followers have gone from a few thousand to over half 1,000,000.
He’s had messages of assist from 4 Man United gamers – ‘I am unable to consider they have been messaging me good luck messages,’ he marvelled – and was invited to Arsenal and Spurs matches whereas he was in London. Asda have even launched a Luke the Nuke pizza in his honour, designed like an enormous dart board.
Nothing will ever be the identical. Quite a lot of it’s good, after all. Fantastic. The stuff of goals. But not all. Because, I’m sorry to say, he has already tasted the bitter aspect of fame.
Some darts fans have been so satisfied that Luke was a grown man masquerading as a 16-year-old, that it took the publication of his beginning certificates to place a lid on their conspiracy theories. (He’ll be 17 on January 21.)
Then, Eloise began getting it within the neck, with on-line trolls querying the age hole and branding her a ‘cash grabber’, till her distressed mother and father felt compelled to insist: ‘She’s with him as a result of she likes him. It’s so simple as that.’
![Littler (left) previously met Humphries (right) in the Hayling Island quarter-final in November 2019](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/03/23/79553571-12924307-Littler_left_previously_met_Humphries_right_in_the_Hayling_Islan-a-11_1704324744050.jpg)
Littler (left) beforehand met Humphries (proper) within the Hayling Island quarter-final in November 2019
(The pair even have quite a bit in frequent. Eloise has been enjoying darts since she was 11, performs for Surrey and adores Fifa and, presumably by now, kebabs.)
But fortunately, the torrent of fame appears to have washed over Luke. Probably as a result of he is glad simply enjoying darts so brilliantly and busy planning what to spend his winnings on.
So far, the listing contains that boys’ journey to Alton Towers, a brand new coat, a tracksuit and a few driving classes. No quick automobiles, no foolish watches, no magnums of Cristal champagne.
Bless him. What a superb, completely refreshing, newly-minted British sporting legend.