Darts chief Barry Hearn believes he has found the next Luke Littler - as PDC chief reveals he 'saw 10-year-old average 106' during tournament

Barry Hearn is convinced helium has recovered the adjacent Luke Littler aft watching a 10-year-old mean 106 during a tourney helium watched connected stream.

Littler has taken the satellite of darts by tempest successful the past 18 months, archetypal bursting onto the country arsenic helium reached the last of the World Championship astatine the property of 16 earlier winning the contention a twelvemonth later.

Now 18, Littler is looking to adhd different Premier League rubric to his furniture successful 2 weeks' clip erstwhile helium plays successful the play-offs astatine the O2 Arena, looking to clasp his rubric that helium won successful his debut twelvemonth 12 months ago.

He has besides inspired a fig of young players to instrumentality up darts, and 1 youngster could soon beryllium acceptable to rival him, according to Hearn.

Hearn has been president of the PDC since 2021, succeeding lad Eddie, who became chairman. He is regularly looking to turn the sport, specified arsenic erstwhile helium spoke astir perchance moving the World Championship from Alexandra Palace past year.

And his eagle oculus has noticed 1 prima who could beryllium the adjacent large happening connected the oche - though helium has remained coy connected the sanction of the player.

'I saw a 10-year-old the different day.,' Hearn told The Sun. 'He had a 106 mean and helium checked retired 140 and 154. He couldn't scope the darts to instrumentality him retired of the treble top.'

When pushed for a name, Hearn added: 'Oh no, I'm not going to enactment immoderate unit connected these kids. I watched him connected a stream. I'm saying nary much than that, buddy.

Littler volition soon caput to the World Cup successful Germany, wherever helium volition squad with rival and satellite No 1 Luke Humphries arsenic helium looks to assistance his chap erstwhile satellite champion support the rubric helium won alongside Michael Smith this year.

England are dense favourites to triumph the competition, but that could alteration successful the future, according to Hearn.

'Don't beryllium parochial,' helium said. 'Don't conscionable deliberation astir England, but determination is simply a batch successful England.

'But determination are besides kids retired determination successful the Netherlands, successful Germany, successful Belgium, successful Spain, successful Italy, present successful France. And present we're seeing China abruptly prime up connected darts too.'

One crushed for that is easiness of access, Hearn suggested. Rather than idiosyncratic having to wage large bucks to articulation clubs and for equipment, it is easier for children to play the sport.

'It's each astir subject and dedication,' helium added. 'Then you request 3 large things: structure, knowing and communal sense.

'Structure: if a subordinate doesn't person opportunities, you ne'er spot a athletics grow truthful you've got to make those opportunities. In darts, we person the Junior Darts Corporation, which starts astatine six years aged and goes up done the ages into the Developmental Tour, which is 16 years old.'