Trans darts star turns into FIRST trans star at Ally Pally’s World Champ

Noa-Lynn van Leuven will be the first transgender darts star to compete at the PDC World Darts Championship after beating No 1 Beau Greaves in the final of Women’s Series 21.

The Dutch player clinched the title with a 5-3 win and an average of 109.64 to seal a place at the iconic tournament at Alexandra Palace in December and January alongside the likes of Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Michael van Gerwen. 

Van Leuven, 28, made history earlier this year after becoming the first trans woman to win a PDC Tour event and has won four titles in 2024.

‘I didn’t dare believe it. Everything just came out. You work for this for a whole year’, said Van Leuven, before swallowing a lump in her throat. ‘Then this really does something to you. It was just a moment when I thought: “Noa, I am really proud of you. You did so well”. I think I can be proud too.’ 

Several rivals including British star Deta Hedman have called for transgender competitors to be banned from playing in ranked women’s tournaments.

Trans darts star Noa-Lynn van Leuven has hit qualified for the PDC World Darts Championship

Van Leuven has been banned from competing in some WDF events and slammed rivals, claiming that there were ‘a lot of toxic b****es’ on the tour ‘who see me as a threat’

But Van Leuven snapped back, telling Dutch outlet NU that there are ‘a lot of conservative, toxic b****es on the women’s tour.’ 

And, ahead of the WDF (World Darts Federation) World Cup – an event Van Leuven won gold in – a members’ meeting took place when it was reported that trans women would no longer be allowed to play at WDF events, although it is unclear when this ruling will come into effect. 

Van Leuven was fuming at the decision and issued a defiant defence via NU, saying: ‘I thought the world should know. This is discrimination. We have been thrown back 40 years with the sport of darts.

‘They (other players) secretly tell me that they don’t understand the commotion. But there are a lot of conservative, toxic b****es on the women’s tour.

‘They see me as a threat. I throw well now (on the women’s tour) because I feel more comfortable.

‘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.

‘People send the most terrible messages and then go on preparing their pasta. They have no idea the impact it has on my life.

Deta Hedman called for transgender women to be banned from women’s ranking events

‘I didn’t dare go out on the street for several weeks and had panic attacks. It did take a while for that fear to go away.

‘Standing there (at the PDC World Championship) as the first Dutch woman is already the ultimate middle finger for me.’

Van Leuven also told AD after beating Greaves: ‘I’m shocked by the Facebook messages, and especially the reactions. I have already received invitations from three or four talk shows, but I don’t know what I’m going to do with them yet.

‘My WhatsApp and Instagram exploded, but the first messages I read were very positive. Then I thought: wow, maybe it will work out one day.”‘

But there are still plenty of negative comments. ‘That still does something to me. It’s not nice to read s****y comments about yourself. I know the standard reactions by now, but they always find something new to touch me with. That says more about them than about me. I do everything myself and make my own plan.’

Meanwhile, after joining the Women’s Series in 2022, the Dutch player said that transitioning was a life-saver. 

‘I think if I didn’t have the transition, I wouldn’t be here anymore,’ Van Leuven told the PA news agency. 

Van Leuven beat world No 1 Beau Greaves 5-3 in the final of the Women’s Series 21 

‘The last two years before I transitioned were terrible for me, I was depressed, I wasn’t having fun in life.

‘I didn’t have anything to live for, I wasn’t in a good space. Then I realised I am trans, I should do something with that or I am not going to make anything out of my life.

‘Now I am happy again and I have so much to live for. I really love darts, I love playing it, I love meeting new people and travelling and that is all possible because of darts.’