Luke Humphries is rooting for darts rival Luke Littler to scoop the top prize at the Sports Personality of the Year awards.
However, the world number one believes he deserves to be in the running for the BBC gong following his outstanding 2024.
Littler is currently the second favourite ahead of next month’s awards show behind Keely Hodgkinson.
The athletics star won gold in the 800m at the Paris Olympics during the summer.
Meanwhile, Littler has shot to fourth in the world at just 17 after winning ten titles in his first year as a professional.
Those triumphs include two PDC major titles in the Grand Slam of Darts and World Series of Darts, while also coming out on top in the Premier League.
But the man who beat him in January’s PDC World Darts Championship final – and in last weekend’s Players Championship final – insists he should be nominated for the SPOTY award as well.
Asked if he deserves to be in the running, Humphries told Sporting Life: “Of course, yeah. Maybe over the last 12 months, I don’t see any other UK sportsperson that’s dominated a sport and nearly won everything.
“It’s done on personality isn’t it? It’s not about your achievements.
“It doesn’t bother me too much. I’ll go and I’ll be supporting him [Littler] and, if he wins, then it’s good for the sport.
“It’s nice to be invited, I think they acknowledge it a little bit, what I’ve achieved.
“I think it’s another feather in the cap for the sport. I think Keely Hodgkinson is probably going to win it, isn’t she?
“But I think Luke could at least win young sports personality of the year if he doesn’t win the main one.
“That’s still a nice thing to have for yourself.”
Humphries has maintained his impressive form since becoming world champion at Alexandra Palace.
He remains top of the PDC Order of Merit with £1.8million in prize money across the last two years.
Since beating Littler at the start of the year, Cool Hand has also added the World Matchplay and World Cup of Darts to his trophy cabinet.
Meanwhile, he successfully defended his Players Championship Finals victory from 2023 by beating Littler in Sunday’s final.
Littler has also commented on being second favourite for Sports Personality of the Year.
The Nuke said: “It would be a big thing for myself but I’ve not really looked at [it] too much.
“The person in first. Is it a runner? People don’t really class us as athletes do they?
“So, if I’m second [favourite] to win it, that’ll do.”
Both Humphries and Littler will be back at Ally Pally for the Worlds next month.
The defending champion will begin his campaign on the opening night when he faces either Thibaut Tricole or Joe Comito on December 15.