With the main course of Michael van Gerwen v Luke Humphries to come, Luke Littler and Gian van Veen served up a darting treat in the final of the 2023 World Youth Championship on the Main Stage in Minehead.

Won 6-4 by Littler who will join the PDC Tour next year as one of the most exciting darting talents seen in a long time faced Van Veen who has already shown as a Tour Card holder his credentials for the future.

To open up after 12 darts, Littler left a finish and pinned double eight to break. Van Veen opened up with a 180 and hit 121 on the bull for 1-1. Littler hit his first maximum and was averaging 107 and added another to leave 41 on Van Veen’s throw and took another break to go 2-1 up.

It was another maximum from Littler as the 16-year-old put on a show in Minehead. He missed bull for 121 but returned for double eight and went 3-1 up.

Van Veen opened his throw with another maximum. Littler hit a fourth in three legs and hit 140 to leave 81 pressuring Van Veen to take out 121 and he couldn’t meaning ‘The Nuke’ came back looking for a 4-1 lead.

He missed double 12 and Van Veen returned only to miss one at double 16 and Littler came back for double six. A fifth 180 for Littler followed and he was averaging 107 as he went towards a 5-1 lead. He missed two more at 81 on double 12 but returned for the same target to go one away.

Littler hit a sixth 180, Van Veen fired back to leave 94 and pinned double 16 to go 5-2 down as Littler was throwing for the match. A 12-dart break of throw saw Van Veen make it 5-3.

A seventh 180 left 57 for the match for Littler. Van Veen had to hit 120 to stay in it and he did so to make it 5-4.

Van Veen hit a 180 to leave 90 and missed double five allowing Littler back for double 20 to seal it.