Manama: Sixteen-year-old prodigy Luke Littler has once again etched his name in the annals of darting history, emerging victorious as the 2024 Bahrain Darts Masters Champion at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.
Continuing his meteoric ascent in the world of darts, Littler, who recently made it to the final of the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship, secured the prestigious title in a thrilling final against three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen. The intense battle culminated in an 8-5 victory for the teenage sensation, with the final played best-out-of-15 legs.
The championship trophy was presented to Littler by BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa and CBX Founder and CEO Carlo Boutagy in a post-title-decider ceremony.
This spectacular conclusion unfolded over two days and marked the inaugural event of this year’s World Series of Darts calendar. BIC and CBX collaborated with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), in conjunction with the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, to bring the World Series of Darts to the Kingdom for the second consecutive year.
The Dome at BIC was abuzz with a lively and captivated audience, dressed in colorful costumes and fancy dress, adding to the electrifying atmosphere. Attendees were treated to world-class darts, and the most creatively attired fans had the chance to win valuable prizes courtesy of BIC.
In the preceding rounds, all eight PDC professionals breezed through the first round on Thursday to advance to the quarter-finals. Littler’s journey to the final included a remarkable 7-3 victory over World Cup winner Gerwyn Price in the semi-finals. Van Gerwen secured his spot in the title-decider by overcoming defending Bahrain Darts Masters champion Michael Smith, the 2023 World Title winner, in a closely contested match that ended 7-6. Both semi-finals were fiercely contested in best-out-of-13 legs.
During the quarter-finals, Littler delivered a sensational performance with a 6-3 win against World Matchplay winner Nathan Aspinall, featuring a rare nine-darter by the 16-year-old. Van Gerwen triumphed over 2018 World Champion Rob Cross with a 6-4 score. Smith exhibited skillful play in a 6-1 victory against two-time World Champion Peter Wright, while Price halted the 20-game winning streak of the recently crowned World Champion Luke Humphries with a 6-4 win.
