Luke Littler has been named because the third most searched particular person on Google within the UK, forward of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and King Charles.
Littler, who’s getting ready for the World Darts Championship which begins this Sunday at 6.30pm dwell on Sky Sports activities, was solely behind the Princess of Wales, searched as Kate Middleton, and US President elect Donald Trump.
The 17-year-old gathered consideration 12 months in the past on his run to the World Championship closing, which he misplaced to Luke Humphries.
The ultimate in January was watched by 4.8m folks on Sky Sports activities, the highest-ever non-football viewers.
Littler topped the standings for probably the most searched athletes within the UK this yr, forward of Spanish teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who helped Spain win Euro 2024, and gymnast Simone Biles, who gained three golds at Paris 2024.
“To be recognised in two Yr in Search lists is a big honour,” mentioned Littler.
“It has been an incredible yr for me personally, and for the game of darts as an entire. I can’t fairly consider I’m trending greater than each the Prime Minister and the King within the ‘folks’ class.
“In a yr of such nice sporting achievements, it’s a proud second for me to be the highest trending athlete in 2024.”
Little turned the youngest particular person to make a televised nine-darter on the Bahrain Darts Masters earlier this yr, the place he additionally gained his first senior PDC title.
He competed within the 17-week Premier League collection, successful the play-offs night time in London with one other nine-darter within the closing in Might.
After successful the Poland Darts Masters, Littler had a dip in kind with first-round exits on the World Matchplay and World Grand Prix, however he gained the Grand Slam of Darts and World Sequence of Darts Finals in November.
PDC ambassador Russ Bray makes his prediction for the World Darts Championship
Boxer Khelif most searched athlete worldwide
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was probably the most searched athlete on the planet on Google this yr after a row over her eligibility on the Olympics.
Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting have been alleged to have failed gender exams in 2023, though no proof was or has been supplied to again up that allegation.
Some incorrect headlines urged the boxers have been transgender athletes – though each have been born feminine and are classed as feminine of their passports. Nevertheless, the row proved controversial and has introduced the talk round eligibility and feminine classification into the highlight.
Khelif gained gold within the ladies’s welterweight competitors in Paris amid enormous controversy after the Worldwide Boxing Affiliation (IBA) mentioned the Algerian had been disqualified from final yr’s World Championships for failing gender eligibility standards.
The 25-year-old has filed a authorized grievance with the French authorities over the net abuse and harassment she was subjected to throughout the Video games, and the IOC mentioned in early November that she was now additionally taking motion over new stories which emerged in France, allegedly detailing her leaked medical information.
It additionally mentioned it was “saddened” by the abuse Khelif had obtained since her look in Paris.
