Barry Hearn believes he has found the next darting sensation at just ten years old.
Hearn, 76, was the president of the Professional Darts Corporation until 2021, and has a strong connection to the darting world, along with boxing and snooker.
This means he keeps a keen eye out in a multitude of sports and he believes he might have found the next Luke Littler.
Popularity in the sport has skyrocketed after 18-year-old Littler’s meteoric rise to stardom, in which he claimed Premier League and World Championship glory at the age of just 17.
Luke Littler is the current world championPAAccording to Hearn, this has led to a ‘tsunami of people’ from ‘around the world’ that have been inspired by the teenage sensation.
Hearn revealed to The Sun: “I saw a ten-year-old the other day. He had a 106 average and he checked out 140 and 154.”
In a hilarious testament to the age of the boy, Hearn did admit one problem: “He couldn't reach the darts to take him out of the double top!”
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Barry Hearn said he might have found the next teenage sensation
PA
The 76-year-old was hesitant to reveal anything about the child prodigy, saying: “Oh no, I'm not gonna put any pressure on these kids.
“I watched him on a stream. I'm saying no more than that, buddy.
“Don't be parochial. Don't just think about England, but there is a lot in England.
“But there are also kids out there in Holland, in Germany, in Belgium, in Spain, in Italy, now in France. And now we're seeing China suddenly pick up on darts too.”
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Hearn insisted that one reason for dart’s global popularity amongst youngsters is the lack of expense required to have a practice.
He explained: “It's all about discipline and dedication. Then you need three big things: structure, understanding and common sense.
“Structure: if a player doesn't have opportunities, you never see a sport expand so you've got to create those opportunities.
Luke Littler is currently top of the Premier League in his search to retain the title
PA“In darts, we have the Junior Darts Corporation, which starts at six years old and goes up through the ages into the Developmental Tour, which is 16 years old.”
Hearn described the process of obtaining a professional card as ‘tough’ because the standard is ‘hugely high’.
The growth in popularity in the sport has been aided by the rise in Littler’s stocks, with the 18-year-old earning over £1.3million in prize money already.
Hearn was quick to protect the sensation, saying, “[Littler] could become a generational great. So we have got to help through because you will find that your life changes.
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“He has a manager, he has a mother and father who are very supportive and they have people they can turn to should they need any help in any direction possible.
“We can't take away the pressure of play - that's on the field of play - but your life around it, I think we can help. There's always someone to talk to.”
After finishing second in the World Championships at the age of just 16, Littler won multiple major titles in his first full year in professional darts, such as the Premier League.
Littler also avenged the previous year’s final loss to beat three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen with a comprehensive 7-3 victory.
