NOS Sport•today, 06:27
When Noa-Lynn van Leuven takes the stage at Alexandra Palace this afternoon just before three, Dutch darts will reach a new milestone. The 28-year-old Van Leuven is the first Dutch woman to participate in the PDC darts association World Cup.
Van Leuven, who transitioned in her teens, thus joins an exclusive group: of the 96 participants, Fallon Sherrock is the only other woman participating in this year’s tournament. Only five other women have ever graced the stage of ‘Ally Pally’, the famous hall in North London. Van Leuven is also the first trans person to participate in the World Cup.
“It is wonderful to be able to stand on that iconic podium,” says Van Leuven, who will compete against fellow countryman Kevin Doets in the first round. “I have been fighting all year to be allowed to participate. To be allowed to be there now is bizarre.”
Van Leuven about playing on a ‘mega beautiful’ World Cup podium: ‘Hopefully I can go far’
Van Leuven qualified through the Women’s Series, a series of tournaments throughout the year. In the final of the 21st tournament she defeated Beau Greaves and threw an average of 109.64 per three darts, the highest average ever recorded in the Women’s Series.
Crucial importance
Many PDC tournaments are open to both men and women, but according to Van Leuven, a women’s tour such as the Women’s Series is crucial to making women’s darts more popular in the Netherlands.
“I don’t mind playing against men because they make me better. But women won’t register for mixed tournaments if they don’t know what their level is.” A women’s tournament could provide the decisive push. “The threshold is lower.”
Figures from the Dutch Darts Association (NDB) show no significant increase in the number of female darts players. Director Paul Engelbertink emphasizes that all NDB tournaments have a women’s category and that more and more tournaments are being organized specifically for women.
“The level is really higher than a number of years ago,” he says. “But in order to pay out serious prize money, you need a large group of ladies who can play at a high level. We cannot deny that that group is currently a lot smaller than the men.”
It’s a long-term thing. Engelbertink hopes that Van Leuven will go far at the World Cup. “When a lady wins, it creates a lot of attention. And ambassadors for the sport are of the utmost importance.”
Dutch Sherrock
“The Netherlands also needs a Fallon Sherrock,” Van Leuven answers when asked what needs to be done to get more women to take up the arrows. The British is participating in the World Cup for the fifth time this year. “Someone who is on TV a lot and can be a role model.”
According to Engelbertink, Van Leuven has that in him. “She has the potential to reach a very high level and has already shown high peaks. If she takes another step in the coming years, she can certainly become a role model that the Netherlands can enjoy.”
“Ultimately I do darts for myself,” Van Leuven concludes. “I’m there because I think it’s a fun game. It would be great if I could also do something for someone else. I hope that many ladies will watch it soon and think: how cool, I want that too.”
