She will make history
Dutch darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven will make history as she becomes the first trans competitor at the PDC World Championship at Alexandra Palace.
The 28-year-old made her PDC Women’s Series debut in 2022 after transitioning the previous year.
She reached the semi-finals of the Dutch Open, her home tournament, twice, losing to eventual champion Beau Greaves in the 2024 edition.
She had the opportunity to test herself against the best women in the world at the upcoming Women’s World Championship at Lakeside.
Instead, she will take part in the PDC World Championship where usually the world’s best male players go for glory.
A handful of women have played in the PDC event at the Ally Pally over the years, Makiro Suzuki and Fallon Sherrock took part in 2024, though both exited in the first round as Luke Humphries went on to win the competition.
Last year, the PDC changed its rules preventing anyone who had taken part in the WDF Lakeside World Championships from taking part at Ally Pally.
The WDF event includes men’s, women’s and juniors’ events, and competitors who qualify for both have been forced to decide between the two.
Van Leuven booked her place at Ally Pally thanks to her win in the PDC Women’s Series event in Leicester on October 19. She beat Greaves 5-3 in the final, having earlier overcome Lisa Ashton and Lorraine Hyde.
She will be joined by Sherrock after victory over Suzuki in an event at the same venue the following day.
The WDF confirmed that both players had turned down their invitations in favour of playing in North London.
Greaves and Van Leuven have also qualified for the 2024 Grand Slam of Darts.
In late 2023, Van Leuven said that returning to darts had had a massive impact on her life after transitioning.
She said she was missing something in life before she started playing darts again and that it gives her the chance to achieve dreams, meet new people and travel.
