English darts prodigy Luke Littler has cemented his status as a sporting phenomenon with a spectacular 7-1 triumph over Dutch contender Gian van Veen, claiming his second consecutive PDC World Championship title at Alexandra Palace. The 18-year-old sensation delivered a masterclass performance that places him among the most elite company in professional darts history.
Littler’s dominant victory makes him only the fourth player ever to achieve consecutive world championships, joining the legendary trio of Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson. This remarkable second title in just his third appearance at the prestigious tournament positions Littler behind only Taylor (14 titles) and Michael van Gerwen (3 titles) in the all-time PDC championship rankings.
The young champion demonstrated extraordinary precision throughout the final match, maintaining an average exceeding 107 for extended periods and finishing with an impressive 106.02 average. His clinical performance left Van Veen, who managed a respectable but insufficient 100 average, struggling to compete. Littler capped his victory with a spectacular 147 checkout before unleashing an emotional roar to the capacity crowd that had supported him throughout the contest.
Emotions overflowed as Littler secured the £1 million prize and received the Sid Waddell Trophy from Olympic cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy. The teenager’s immediate declaration that ‘we’ve got to keep adding more titles’ signals his ambition to pursue Taylor’s seemingly insurmountable record of 14 championships.
Van Veen, who will rise to world number three and make his Premier League debut following his final appearance, started strongly with a 116 checkout to claim the opening set. However, Littler’s response was devastating – answering with checkouts of 145, 127 and a spectacular maximum 170 ‘big fish’ checkout that shifted momentum irrevocably in his favor.
The Dutchman acknowledged Littler’s superiority, stating: ‘Luke wasn’t in the mood to give me any more chances. He played phenomenally. That’s why he’s world number one by a margin now and back-to-back world champion.’ Littler’s tournament statistics further underscore his dominance, with a championship-high 73 maximum 180s, including 16 during the final match.