Who is trans darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven?
Share:
NOA-LYNN van Leuven made history when she became the first trans woman to play in a darts tournament on TV. And she's at it again — on December 17, 2024, Van Leuven will become the first transgender player to compete at the PDC World Darts Championship.
![[Noa-Lynn van Leuven is the first trans woman to qualify for the PDC World Darts Championship]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/8158dc5c-c222-44de-a353-3a8e1f080109.jpg?strip=all&w=558)
Noa-Lynn van Leuven secured her spot at Alexandra Palace following a run of impressive Women’s Series performances. She defeated women’s world No. 1 Beau Greeves 5-3 in the final of Women’s Series 21, setting a record average of 109.64 in the process.
![[Noa-Lynn van Leuven had to pass stringent transitioning tests to play in women's darts]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/12th-november-2024-948651226.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Van Leuven said: "It’s going to be a big achievement for me and for my kind of people. 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.
![[In March 2024, Noa-Lynn van Leuven won her maiden PDC Women’s Series title in Wigan]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/noa-lynn-van-leuven-clinches-889353721.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
"But I guess it’s a big thing and I’m also the first Dutchwoman to play on the Alexandra Palace stage.". Born on September 27, 1996, Noa-Lynn van Leuven is a Dutch darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. In 2023, she was the first trans woman to play in a darts TV tournament.
![[Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf left the Dutch women’s team because they did not want to play alongside a trans woman]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/noa-lynn-van-leuven-834195848.jpg?strip=all&w=927)
Van Leuven only began transitioning in 2022, and joined the Women's Series around the same time. She previously revealed how before she transitioned, she even considered giving up darts due to feeling depressed. "I never really got into a group with people around darts. I was really unhappy with myself so my darts game wasn't that good," van Leuven told Sky Sports.
