Transgender darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven has won both a men’s and women’s professional title in the past week. Van Leuven impressed in Wigan, UK, winning on the PDC Women’s Series, defeating Fallon Sherrock and world No. 1 Beau Greaves on the way to clinching the title.
Her victory in the all-female tournament in the North West of England came just a week after she added a win to her CV on the Challenge Tour. The Dutch star competed in the mixed event against her male rivals and came away from Hildesheim, Germany with another tournament win.
Van Leuven collected just over $3,000 in prize money, whilst moving up to seventh in the Challenge Tour Order of Merit. In the aftermath, she then turned her attention back to women’s darts, adding a second title in a week, defeating arguably the two most well-known female darts players on Saturday.
The Dutch star’s move into female darts has split the opinion of many within the sport. One of women’s darts’ biggest names in Deta Hedman told the Telegraph: “I have thought this is wrong since day one. I have no problems with transgenders in life.
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“I’m not close to Noa-Lynn in darts but in fairness seems a lovely person. For many months I’ve struggled with transgenders playing in the women’s world-ranked events.”
PDC chief executive Matt Porter however is more than happy to see Van Leuven compete in both men’s and women’s darts. “Noa-Lynn has qualified by right,” Porter said last month.
“Good luck to her, she’s there, deserves to be there and she is there on a level footing with every competitor in this sport. The DRA is our governing body – they follow the guidelines laid down by the IOC.”
The 27-year-old began her transition as a teenager and went on to fall in love with darts. “I just had a feeling with the game,” she told the Guardian last July. “I like the whole fight around it.
“I love watching darts, I love playing darts, and even if I wasn’t on the level I am now, I would still love it. I work long days in a kitchen as a chef de partie and try to practice for an hour every day, so I don’t do much else. I work, I play darts and I sleep.”
