04 January 2024 , 00:10
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Luke Littler's girlfriend couldn't hide her heartbreak after watching the 16-year-old darts sensation lose his World Championship final to Luke Humphries 7-4.
Sixteen-year-old Littler took the tournament by storm but fell at the final hurdle, despite being 4-2 up after six sets. Girlfriend Eloise Milburn, who's 21, was left gutted by the loss, especially as a darts player and fanatic herself.
After three weeks celebrating Littler's epic run of wins which led him to the final, Eloise was left crestfallen when new world No.1 Humphries capitalised on Littler's errors. She'd written: "The dream carries on!" following his 6-2 semi-final win against Rob Cross which earned him a guaranteed £200,000 for finishing as the runner-up.
The couple met playing football video game FIFA and despite living 200 miles away from each other, they've now been dating for six weeks. Eloise lives with her parents Phil and Amanda. Up until recently, the darts-loving 21-year-old combined her work as a beauty consultant with working behind the bar at Hersham Golf Club.
She'll now go back to some level of normality after the tournament, all while boyfriend Luke reels from his defeat and also deals with his new-found fame - and life as a teenager. "The one negative was I lost too many legs on my throw, so Luke would break me, then hold and I'd be 2-0 down [in the set]," Littler told Sky Sports.
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"Fair play to Luke, he deserves it. I've got to the final, I might not get to another final for the next five to 10 years, we don't know, but I can say I'm a runner-up and now I just want to go and win it."
Having climbed more than 130 places to enter the world's top 32, Littler added: "I would rather be in the top 32 than play the development tour. I am happy, top 32 and runner-up on my debut, it's unbelievable. I got to the final and might not get to another for the next five or 10 years. I can say I'm runner-up but I just want to go and win it."
Your turn! Will Luke Littler win the 2025 World Darts Championship? Join the debate in the comments section.
Luke Littler was supported by girlfriend Eloise Milburn throughout his run (Shaun Brooks/Action Plus/REX/Shutterstock)Humphries paid tribute to his young opponent by saying: "Luke has been an unbelievable talent - not just on the dartboard, he has been fantastic with all the media. He took defeat so well there. You will never see a 16-year-old kid as down to earth as him - he's just something else. He is one of the best players in the world, no doubt about that."