Luke Littler fears raised over ‘fixed’ Sports Personality of the Year as favourite emerges for award

by Admin
December 3, 2024

Sports fans have argued their case for Luke Littler to be crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year with Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson seen as the strong favourite.

The teenage darts sensation has enjoyed a historic debut season which all began with his run to the final of the PDC World Championships back in January at the age of 16.

He’s since won an incredible 10 senior titles, including being crowned the Premier League champion.

His emergence as the next darts superstar has seen Littler tipped as one of the favourites to be named Sports Personality of the Year.

But Littler is currently second behind Olympic 800m champion Hodgkinson, who is being strongly tipped to win the award.

Luke Littler is the second favourite to win SPOTY

Getty

Hodgkinson also secured gold in Rome a few months earlier to become a two-time European champion.

Her time of 1:54:61 at the Diamond League meeting in London prior to the Olympics made the 22-year-old the sixth-fastest female in history over the 800m distance.

Hodgkinson’s achievements in 2024 has seen her tipped as the odds-on favourite to be named Sports Personality of the Year.

But many sports fans have made it clear they would like to see Littler given the award.

One fan wrote: “Luke Littler deserves this more than anything.”

Another posted: “Has to be luke in what he’s achieved in a year at such a young age fixed.”

A third moaned: “Who is she tho? Be honest, not exactly a ‘sports personality’ is she. Yes she won a medal but that doesn’t make her a personality does it. Littler is a ‘personality’.”

One other complaint read: “The lad has 10 PDC titles in 12 months and changed modern day darts in his maiden year at 16 with match earnings of over £1m. Whilst Keely who… has won a gold medal in Paris that not many watched.”

Another said: “Luke littler has literally changed the whole face of darts. He’s probably one of the most famous sportspeople in the country right now. How is he not favourite.”

Speaking last month, Dennis Priestley tipped Littler to win the award but also feels Luke Humphries should be acknowledged.

Keely Hodgkinson won the 800m final at the 2024 Olympic Games

“I think Luke Littler should win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award because of his youth and how he’s transformed darts,” he told OLBG.

“But there are also youngsters in the Olympics and I think it’ll be someone like that who’ll win it.

“I do think that Luke will get a mention though, alongside Luke Humphries.”

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Luke Littler won the Premier League in his first yearPA

Humphries is the top-ranked player in darts and defending world champion and said he felt he was deserving of a nomination.

He said: “I don’t see any other UK sportsperson that’s dominated a sport and nearly won everything. It’s done on personality isn’t it? It’s not about your achievements.

“It doesn’t bother me too much. I’ll go and I’ll be supporting him [Littler] and, if he wins, then it’s good for the sport. It’s nice to be invited, I think they acknowledge it a little bit what I’ve achieved.

“I think it’s another feather in the cap for the sport. I think Keely Hodgkinson is probably going to win it, isn’t she? But I think Luke could at least win young sports personality of the year if he doesn’t win the main one. That’s still a nice thing to have for yourself.”