Darts sensation Luke Littler showed his magnanimous side after being beaten by an eight-year-old prodigy in an exhibition match in Wales on Saturday.
The youngster, Noah, hails from Northampton and was invited to take on Littler, 17, after being picked out of a huge crowd at the event in Cardiff.
But the boy proved he was no pushover by stunning the reigning Premier League Darts champion with a 1-0 victory in front of “hundreds and hundreds” of people.
Littler had been invited to play at the Summer Showdown darts exhibition before he was paired against Noah, who only started playing darts two years ago. But Littler could only watch on in amazement as Noah scored 90 off his final throws to down the world-renowned professional.
His victory certainly proved to be no fluke, as it is reported Noah trains for 16 hours a week. He is set to throw arrows for Buckinghamshire County from next week, according to BBC News.
When asked by an interviewer if he felt things could be any better than beating his hero Littler, Noah simply replied: “Not really, no.”
Even after his humbling defeat to an opponent less than half his age, Littler remained dignified and even gifted Noah with some souvenir darts following their encounter.
“He was an absolute gentleman, he was so, so lovely,” Noah’s mum told BBC Three Counties Radio.
Noah was discovered back in January after his incredible performances given his youth. And he explained that Littler’s journey to the PDC World Championship final inspired him to believe he could get there too.
“It helps me do maths and it’s the best sport in the world,” he said in January. “Luke Littler has inspired me and I want to be playing at the PDC World Championship too in a few years’ time.”
Littler will be hoping his minor dip in form is short-lived after qualifying for the World Series tournament in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
He won the World Series rankings this season and will compete ahead of reigning world champion Humphries and Michael van Gerwen, with other big names taking part in the event, which begins on September 13.
His mother, Helen, added: “It’s been a very, very exciting weekend. It was amazing, absolutely amazing. It’s been an incredible year, he’s loving every minute of it.”
It wasn’t long ago that Littler rose to prominence himself after becoming the youngest player to reach the PDC World Darts Championship final in January at the age of 16.
He was ultimately defeated by Luke Humphries after a tense game, but Littler has carried the torch for darts on the global stage ever since and forged a career as a professional.
