By Rory McKee
IT STARTED just last year when his grandmother bought him a dartboard for his birthday, and now 15 year-old Christian Ennis is getting set to showcase his talents on the global stage.
Christian, from Dundonald, will travel to Gibraltar in November after qualifying to compete at the Junior Darts Corporation’s Under 18 World Championships and World Cup.
The Ashfield Boys High School student is part of a 12-strong team from Northern Ireland travelling to the event and says he first became hooked on the sport over the festive period, watching teenage sensation Luke Littler make history by becoming the youngest world champion in darts history aged just 17.
“I think he [Littler] has brought loads of young people into the sport. What he’s done at such a young age is amazing,” said Christian, who throws for the Poet Bar on the Kings Road in Dundonald.
He has recently been snapped up by the Area 11 district team in Belfast, who described Christian as ‘a lad with a massive future in the game who we have being trying to get on board all summer’.
Looking ahead to the challenge of pitting his wits against some of the best young players on the planet later this year, Christian said: “I’m really excited. I have heard there’s going to be some great players there so it will be tough, but I hope to do well.”
As well as the world number two Littler, Christian also looks to Ballymena ace Josh Rock as inspiration and is keen to follow in the footsteps of Northern Ireland’s World Cup of Darts champion. “My goal is to play for my country and hopefully one day earn a PDC Tour Card,” he revealed.
