Littler is Young Sports Personality of the Year

Darts player Luke Littler has been named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year 2024.

The 17-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough year after finishing runner-up at the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship in January.

The Englishman, who has won 10 senior titles on the Professional Darts Corporation tour this year, is the first darts player to claim the award.

"It shows how well I have done this year, not only for myself, but I have changed the sport of darts," Littler told BBC One.

"I know the amount of academies that have been brought up in different locations, tickets selling out at Ally Pally in hours and the Premier League selling out - it just shows how much I have changed it."

He was presented with the trophy by Harry Aikines-Aryeetey - a former sprinter who won the award in 2005 - and ex-rugby union player Jodie Ounsley, both of whom are stars of the BBC television show Gladiators.

Skateboarder Sky Brown, 16, and Para-swimmer William Ellard, 18, were also shortlisted for the award.

Littler became a household name at the start of 2024 by reaching the World Championship final aged just 16 years and 347 days.

That achievement was just the start of a trophy-laden year, with Littler winning the Premier League Darts, Grand Slam and World Series of Darts Finals among his haul of titles.

Littler has gone from 164th to fourth in the world rankings and earned more than £1m in prize money in 2024.

The judging panel for Young Sports Personality of the Year included Paralympic gold medallist Sammi Kinghorn, Olympic silver medal-winning BMX freestyler Keiran Reilly, television presenter Qasa Alom and Radio 1 DJ Jeremiah Asiamah, as well as representatives from the Youth Sport Trust, Blue Peter and BBC Sport.