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 making ready for the World Darts Championship which begins this Sunday at 6.30pm reside 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 last, 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 12 months, 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 Year in Search lists is a huge honour,” mentioned Littler.
“It has been a tremendous 12 months for me personally, and for the game of darts as a complete. I can’t fairly imagine I’m trending greater than each the Prime Minister and the King within the ‘folks’ class.
“In a year of such great sporting achievements, it is a proud moment for me to be the top trending athlete in 2024.”
Little turned the youngest particular person to make a televised nine-darter on the Bahrain Darts Masters earlier this 12 months, 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 last 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 Collection of Darts Finals in November.
Boxer Khelif most searched athlete worldwide
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was probably the most searched athlete on this planet on Google this 12 months 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 offered to again up that allegation.
Some incorrect headlines prompt the boxers have been transgender athletes – despite the fact that each have been born feminine and are classed as feminine of their passports. Nonetheless, 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 large controversy after the Worldwide Boxing Affiliation (IBA) mentioned the Algerian had been disqualified from final 12 months’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 studies which emerged in France, allegedly detailing her leaked medical information.
It additionally mentioned it was “saddened” by the abuse Khelif had acquired since her look in Paris.
