Luke Littler has dismissed his chances of winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award next week and picked the athlete he thinks should take the gong. Littler got his World Darts Championship title defence underway with a comfortable 3-0 defeat of Darius Labanauskas at Ally Pally on Thursday night. The teenage sensation averaged 101.54 and managed 64 per cent success on his doubles to book his spot in round two on his first night back at the prestigious venue since becoming world champion back in January.

The world No.1 was forced into deciding legs in both of the first two sets but showed his class in the third with back-to-back ton-plus finishes to take the match away from his veteran Lithuanian opponent. Littler now has a 10-day break before he will return to Ally Pally for round two. Hours before he beat Labanauskas, the 18-year-old was named as one of the nominees for the BBC SPOTY award with the winner to be crowned on Thursday, December 18.

Told he's got something else he needs to win before he returns to the stage for the next round of the Worlds, Littler shook his head and replied that newly-crowned F1 world champion Lando Norris is the rightful recipient of the honour.

"Nah I don't think so. I don't think so," he said. "If I had to give my winner, definitely Lando." McLaren driver Norris finished third in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last Sunday to become a world champion for the first time and only the eighth British title-winner ever.

That makes him a strong candidate to receive the BBC award although Littler is a strong contender too. As is Lionesses hero Chloe Kelly who helped the England women to back-to-back Euros triumphs in the summer.

After momentarily being attacked by a wasp on stage following his win over Labanauskas, Littler added to Sky Sports: "It definitely weren't easy. Looking at the stats there, it definitely didn't feel like that. But yeah I'm happy. Happy with the win.

"Obviously there's a bit of nerves but once you come up here and win a leg, win two legs, then you win a set - it proper settles you down. That first set was crucial, against the darts. Coming back on stage with the darts, another 3-2 set, but as long as you win the set, that's all that matters.

"I think everyone in the tournament just wants to get [through] the first round. It's definitely the hardest game. It doesn't matter who you play. If you don't play well then you're not going to win. I'm very happy with that. Back for a third time, first game done, now I get 10 days off."

Littler will find out his round two opponent on Saturday afternoon when Belgian Mario Vandenbogaerde faces Welshman David Davies. Davies, 40, is an NHS area manager from Denbigh in north Wales and has to use his annual leave to be able to play on the second-tier Challenger Tour.