DARTS sensation Luke Littler was sizing himself up against adults while he was still in primary school and learning the sport at St Helens Darts Academy.
Despite playing just four senior matches before the Darts World Championships, 16-year-old Littler has taken the sporting world by storm after beating former world champions and reaching the semi-finals of the tournament.
Warrington hero Littler defeated Rob Cross in Tuesday's semi-final at Alexandra Palace in London, and as a teenager has honed his craft in St Helens.
After throwing his first dart at just 18 months old, the Warrington-based darts star was throwing darts at a magnetic board "non stop" during his childhood.
By the time he presented himself at St Helens Darts Academy, on Wheatsheaf Avenue in Sutton Leach, the primary school pupil was streets ahead of those his own age and had to play against older and older competitors.
"By the time he was 10 we knew he was too good for his age," Karl Holden, Littler's former coach at the St Helens Darts Academy said.
"He couldn't play in the PDC or the big time until he was 16, so we just let him enjoy himself and he's just worked his way through the ranks.
"He went from under-10s to under-14 leagues and, before he was 11, he was playing in the under-21s, just simply because he was too good for anybody else."
Following in the footsteps of other darting heroes from St Helens Darts Academy, such as Michael Smith, Dave Chisnall, and Stephen Bunting, Littler became a young darting prodigy at the Sutton Leach club.
Hitting a nine-darter at the Junior Darts Masters Tournament at age 14, and winning the 2023 PDC World Youth Championship and 12 adult titles, the 16-year-old has already become an inspiration for all the young players at the Darts Academy.
Although he sat his GCSE's at Padgate Academy just last year, his former coach believes he has the ability to become the youngest ever darts world champion.
Holden added: "He can win it. We knew he was good enough, we knew that before he started.
"A lot of people in the darts shop were saying 'who is this Luke Littler?' but I was saying he's a good outside chance.
"Many didn't know who he was, but I think everyone knows who he is now. Every time I put the TV on he is there."
Holden added: "Obviously he puts a lot of hours in and we had to tell him to stop coming as he was so good.
"He needed to be playing at a better standard. He was good enough to win men's tournaments at 13 or 14. And he did. His ability is second to none.
"The best players reach a level in their twenties that he's reached at 16.
"We've produced some good players. Probably about 40 county players, but Luke is something else.
"We're all behind Luke. It's not just St Helens.
"Luke is a Warrington man through and through, a big Wire (Warrington rugby league) supporter, and the whole of Warrington is right behind him."
The sale of darts with his name on has exploded in St Helens and Warrington.
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