LITTLER ON VERGE OF HISTORY WITH PRESTIGIOUS PRIZE
03/03/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
LUKE LITTLER is looking to become the FIRST darts player to win the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award.
‘The Nuke’ had an expectational 2025 campaign winning SIX major titles and becoming back-to-back World Champion.
World No.1 Littler will go head-to-head with Formula One world champion Lando Norris for the coveted prize when the ceremony takes place at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid on Monday, April 20.
Littler is just 19 and has already achieved unprecedented feats in the world of flying tungsten in only his second year as a professional.
He told SunSport: “I’m into all sports, absolutely everything. Lando Norris wins the F1 World Championships, Angry Ginge wins the (I’m a Celebrity) Jungle, and then I go on and win the worlds – it’s what dreams are made of.
“Being nominated for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award is a huge honour.
“Especially being the first darts player to get recognised on this list.
“It’s been an incredible 12 months and becoming double world champion and world No.1 is a dream come true but I don’t want to stop there.
“I want to continue raising the profile of darts globally and bringing new fans into the sport. The nomination is a big moment for me and the sport of darts as a whole.”
The Awards are being held for the 25th time, having first been launched in Monaco in 2000 under the patronage of former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Other athletes shortlisted for the Breakthrough Award include Paris Saint-Germain and France midfielder Désiré Doué, Brazilian tennis player João Fonseca, Canadian basketball star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 12-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi.
England’s women’s football team, the McLaren Formula One team and the European Ryder Cup side have been shortlisted for the Laureus World Team of the Year award.
Golfer Rory McIlroy, footballer Leah Williamson and cyclist Simon Yates have been nominated in the Laureus World Comeback of the Year category.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
