Luke Littler’s successful speech in full after successful back-to-back World Darts Champs
Luke Littler won back-to-back World Darts Championships on Saturday evening as he dismantled Gian van Veen on the stage at Ally Pally
Luke Littler won his second Paddy Power PDC World Darts Championship on Saturday evening, defeating Gian van Veen in what turned into a one-man show at Ally Pally.
The Nuke, 18, has become the first man to go back-to-back since Gary Anderson in 2016. And speaking after he was awarded the Sid Waddell trophy by Sir Chris Hoy, the darting sensation said: “It feels amazing.
“First of all thanks to John McDonald and George Noble – what a fantastic career they have had. In my first year Russ Bray retired, now these two legends! I’m a bit late to the party!
“I’ve been wanting to say this. Everyone knows what happened with Anthony Joshua and his guy and his team and his friends.
“Just like AJ said ‘the first time was so nice, I had to do it twice!’.
“I started playing better from the second set. The first set, I wasn’t happy going into the break but I had to kick on from there.
“I said to myself, ‘give it time, you will find it’. I started off from the left of the oche and moved over to the right. It all came to plan.
“Gian, what a tournament, he can be very happy. Every set he was there and behind me. I had to take my chances.
“You just can’t think of it too much. You have to keep going and I’ve done it.”
He was then asked about the Ally Pally, that threatened to derail his flow at 3-1 up: “Someone has to put a wasp in here. They don’t just come out of nowhere, no chance!”
And when asked about the prize money, Littler added: “It is life-changing. Even for this tournament, the first round was doubled.
“This win has increased that gap from Luke Humphries and I’m in the clear for No 1.”
