Noa-Lynn van Leuven is set to make history as the first trans player at the World Darts Championship.
Van Leuven, 28, who will take on Kevin Doets on Tuesday, December 17, secured her spot with impressive Women’s Series performances and is determined to let her skills take centre stage. “It’s going to be a big achievement for me and for my kind of people,” she said.
“But I guess I just want to be Noa. I just want to play darts and not always having to talk about the fact I’m also transgender.
“I’m a darts player and I’m terribly good at it. But I guess it’s a big thing and I’m also the first Dutchwoman to play on the Alexandra Palace stage.”
Reflecting on her journey, she added: “If I look back, like a year, I wouldn’t even think about going to Ally Pally, maybe to watch as a fan, but not to play.
“And I’m on that stage, it’s a big achievement for me. I worked my ass off for it the whole year. And I think, like, the last half year, I actually thought, ‘OK, I might actually reach Ally Pally if I continue this form’.”
Earlier this year, Van Leuven hit out at her female competitors, accusing them of being ‘toxic bitches’ who only want her removed from tournaments as they view her as a threat.
‘I thought the world should know. This is discrimination. We have been thrown back 40 years with the sport of darts,’ she said.
She later told Dutch outlet NU: ‘They (other players) secretly tell me that they don’t understand the commotion. But there are a lot of conservative toxic bitches on the women’s tour.
‘It’s a matter of putting money and hours into it. Not many women do that, but I do. I’ve proven I can win over men, too.’
