sportskeeda
LUKE LITTLER has been shortlisted for the 2024 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, drawing admiration from the British public alongside nominees Jude Bellingham and Keely Hodgkinson.
As the youngest of the six competitors for this prestigious television award, Littler continues a tradition that has been celebrated yearly since 1954.
7
7
7
7
The Nuke faces competition from Jude Bellingham, a Champions League champion with Real Madrid; Olympic 800-metre gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson; cricket record holder Joe Root; Paralympic cycling champion Dame Sarah Storey; and triathlete Alex Yee.
At only 17, Littler has earned accolades for his outstanding accomplishments as a professional darts player.
The Warrington native reached the PDC World Championship final on January 3 but was defeated 7-4 by Luke Humphries at Ally Pally and then claimed the Premier League title in May after executing an impressive nine-dart leg.
Littler, who has earned over £1 million in prize money up to 2024, has secured 10 titles and captivated audiences across the nation with his stellar performances, despite having only graduated high school last year.
If he receives the most votes on Tuesday, December 17—with Hodgkinson favored by bookmakers—he will become the second-youngest winner in the award’s history.
The youngest winner till now was 17-year-old Scottish swimmer Ian Black, who won in 1958 ahead of football legends Bobby Charlton and Nat Lofthouse.
Littler will celebrate his 18th birthday next month and is considered a top contender for this year’s World Championship, starting on Sunday.
He may even achieve double honors that night by being shortlisted for the Young Sports Personality of the Year as well.
7
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Phil Taylor, who came in second to jockey Tony McCoy at the 2010 SPOTY, has advised Littler to focus on winning the Sid Waddell Trophy next year rather than attending the awards.
Football has produced seven winners of this prestigious award, including Paul Gascoigne, Michael Owen, David Beckham, and Ryan Giggs.
A look back at Jude Bellingham’s stunning moments with England
BBC SPOTY 2024 CONTENDERS
Meet the athletes competing for the ultimate honor…
Luke Littler – Darts
Jude Bellingham – Football
Keely Hodgkinson – Athletics
Joe Root – Cricket
Dame Sarah Storey – Paralympic cycling
Alex Yee – Triathlon
Bellingham played a pivotal role in securing the LaLiga title and Champions League for Madrid, netting an impressive 23 goals in all competitions during his debut season at the Bernabeu.
Although England fell to Spain in the European Championship final in Berlin, the 21-year-old made his mark by scoring twice in the tournament, including a spectacular bicycle kick in the 2-1 Last 16 win over Slovakia.
Hodgkinson, now 22, became the tenth British woman to win an Olympic title in athletics, triumphing in the 800m at the Stade de France.
At 33, Root made his mark by breaking Alastair Cook’s record of 12,472 runs, becoming England’s all-time leading scorer in Test cricket, while also making headlines with a remarkable score of 262 against Pakistan in October.
Sarah Storey, a mother of two and Britain’s most decorated Paralympian at 47, added two more gold medals to her illustrious collection by winning both the C4-C5 road race and the C5 road time trial in Paris.
Triathlete Alex Yee, aged 26, had a phenomenal year in 2024, being crowned both Olympic and world champion.
Interestingly, this year’s shortlist remains capped at six nominees for the seventh consecutive year, even in an Olympic and Paralympic season.
This year, nominees did not include cycling legend Mark Cavendish, who retired after achieving a historic 35th Tour de France stage win.
Other Olympic medalists, such as road cyclist Tom Pidcock and trampolinist Bryony Page, were also omitted from the list, as organizers chose to keep the selection concise.
Swimmer Poppy Maskill, aged just 19, may feel disappointed at not receiving a nomination after earning five medals at the Paralympics, including three golds.
Presenters for the live event on BBC One will include Clare Balding, Gabby Logan, and Alex Scott, while Gary Lineker steps down after 23 years of hosting the prestigious awards.
The judging panel, made up of 12 individuals—including athletes, broadcasters, journalists, and BBC executives—features prominent figures such as retired cyclist Laura Kenny and former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha.
On awards night, other honors including World Sport Star of the Year, the Helen Rollason Award, Young Sports Personality of the Year, Unsung Hero, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year, and the Lifetime Achievement award will also be presented.
Lioness goalkeeper Mary Earps earned the title of BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2023.
7
7
