Luke Littler has issued a classy statement after narrowly missing out on being crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
The darts sensation finished as the runner-up behind Olympic runner Keely Hodgkinson, who took the gold medal in the women’s 800 metres in the summer. Littler did not leave empty-handed, though, winning the Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
After the ceremony on Tuesday, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to thank the fans who voted for him after coming so close to scooping the grand prize.
« First SPOTY and taking home two trophies, » wrote Littler. « Huge honour for me to win Young Sports Personality of the Year and finish second for Sports Personality.
« Support this year has been amazing and want to say thank you to everyone who voted and sent messages. »
Littler’s meteoric rise has almost single-handedly driven a new wave of interest in darts, with millions of fans tuning in during his incredible run to last year’s World Darts Championship final.
He became a household name almost overnight and went on to prove that his Alexandra Palace heroics were not just a fluke by winning the Premier League, Grand Slam and World Series.
Accepting his Young Sports Personality of the Year award on stage, Littler said: « 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.
« 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 in hours and the Premier League sold out quick as well. It just goes to show how much I’ve changed it. »
Littler’s impressive Premier League triumph saw him become the youngest player to win a PDC title, while his Grand Slam victory made him just the fourth player in history to win 10 trophies in one season.
He will begin his World Darts Championship campaign on Saturday, having received a bye to the second round. He will face Ryan Meikle, who edged past Fallon Sherrock in a closely-fought encounter on Tuesday night.
No darts player has ever won Sports Personality of the Year, with Phil Taylor also going close in 2010 when he finished in second place.
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