IT WAS only this time 12 months ago that no one outside of hardcore darts circles knew who Luke Littler was.
Fast forward a year and he is among the most famous athletes in the UK and just won an incredible TENTH title of the season in the Grand Slam with a truly sensational 16-3 battering of Martin Lukeman.
Luke Littler won the World Youth Championship last year ahead of his meteoric rise[/caption]Littler, 17, reached the final of the World Championships and has risen to No 5 in the two-year world rankings inside a year.
But it was on November 26, 2023, when darts fans started noticing the teenager as he beat Gian van Veen – five years his senior – in the World Youth Championship final.
This year’s finale will take place THIS WEEKEND with Van Veen looking to go one better than he did last year.
Qualification for the tournament started on October 14, with the 128-player field whittled down from 32 groups of four into a knockout phase of 32.
The likes of Keane Barry, Wessel Nijman and Owen Bates all made the last 32, but it was Van Veen and Jurjen van der Velde who made it into the final.
The Dutch pair will now meet at Butlin’s Minehead Resort on November 24.
The match will take place alongside the Players Championship Finals, with the final to be played in between the semi-finals and final of that tournament on Sunday night.
Gian van Veen reached the final last year and will be hoping to go one better[/caption]Van Veen, who was impressive in reaching the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts, is also seeded No 20 in the Players Championships and will be playing Scott Williams in his first match on Friday.
The World Youth Championship Final will be a best-of-11 clash.
Monday, October 14 (also group stages and last 32)
Last 16
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Sunday, November 24
Final
The total prize pot for the tournament is the biggest ever, with a huge £100,000 on offer.
Van Veen and Van der Velde will battle for a £12,000 top prize in the final.
Here’s the full breakdown: