Van Leuven began considering transitioning around the age of 16,[4]. She told the PA news agency that she had suffered depression beforehand, and that she "wouldn't be here" if not for her transition. Van Leuven had played darts for nine years before her transition, though she stopped for several years.[5] She works as a chef de partie.[6]
Career
2022
Having passed stringent transitioning tests to play in women's darts,[5] van Leuven made her debut at the 2022 PDC Women's Series.[7]
Van Leuven reached the quarter-finals of both events 13 and 14 of the Women's Series, losing to Beau Greaves 4–2 and Laura Turner 4–3 respectively.
2023
At the 2023 Dutch Open, van Leuven entered the event as the 15th seed and reached the semi-finals. In the last 64 she whitewashed Jacqueline Geel 3–0 then defeated Evelien van Tol 4–1 in the last 32 before winning against Deta Hedman and Lorraine Hyde 4–3 in deciding legs. Van Leuven was whitewashed by eventual winner Aileen de Graaf 4–0 in the semi-finals.[8][9]
She played against Beau Greaves in the first round of the Women's World Matchplay, becoming the first trans woman to play in a televised PDC tournament.[12] She was whitewashed 4–0 by Greaves.
2024
Van Leuven entered the 2024 Dutch Open as the 4th seed and reached the semi-finals again. She whitewashed Jaleesa Zegel 3–0, then defeated Kelly Streef, Tori Kewish and Kirsty Hutchinson each 4–1. Van Leuven lost in the semi-finals to the eventual winner, Women's number one Beau Greaves.[13]
Van Leuven played at the 2024 PDC Women's Series. She reached the quarter-finals at the first event, losing there to reigning WDF Women's World Champion Beau Greaves 5–2.[18] At the second event, van Leuven won a Women's series tournament for the first time. She whitewashed Roos Van der Velde, Anca Zijlstra and Hannah Meek each 4–0 in legs. Van Leuven then defeated Marie Fitton 4–2 in the last 16. Van Leuven achieved 5–3 victories over Beau Greaves and Fallon Sherrock in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively before she triumphed over Katie Sheldon 5–2 in the final.[19][20][21] This victory meant van Leuven had won both a women's tournament and a mixed gender tournament in the same week.[4]
At event three of the Women's Series, van Leuven reached the quarter-finals again, winning against Eve Watson 4–3, whitewashing Snezana Veljkovic 4–0, defeating Chris Savvery 4–1 and beating Steph Clarke 4–2 before losing 5–4 to Lorraine Hyde.[22][23][24]
At event four van Leuven defeated Casey Gallagher 4–1 and then whitewashed Angela Kirkwood and Carly Townsend 4–0 before losing 4–1 to Fallon Sherrock.[22][25][26]
