Noa-Lynn van Leuven is set to face Kevin Doets on December 17, with the winner advancing to compete against former world champion Michael Smith. As she prepares for the match, attention is drawn not only to her skill on the oche but also to the meaningful tattoos she proudly displays on her throwing arm.
While van Leuven’s involvement in the women’s darts scene has sparked some controversy, she continues to receive support from those within the darts community, including world No. 1 Luke Humphries, the reigning World Darts Champion.
“I don’t get too involved in the politics of it,” Humphries said. “It’s not for me to say what’s right or wrong. Whatever opinion I have, it wouldn’t matter. I just see her as a darts player. She’s in the competition on merit, has followed the rules, and is doing what she’s allowed to do. It would be nice if people just let her play and get on with it. I wish her all the best and hope she gets a win.”
While she focuses on her performance, van Leuven’s arm tattoos have become a signature part of her persona. One of her most notable tattoos is a bold design of a dart-throwing monkey wearing a rainbow cape, which she proudly revealed on Instagram in April 2023, expressing her joy with the caption: “New Tattoo!! This monkey is sooo cute! I am sooo happy with this one.”
Van Leuven also explained the deeper meanings behind her tattoos in a March interview with Outsports. Her first tattoo, a feather in subtle transgender colors, holds significant personal meaning.
“The feather is a symbol of freedom and represents my belief that I can be whoever I want to be,” she said. “It’s about self-expression and living authentically.”
In addition to the feather, the tattoo features a semi-colon, symbolizing resilience and survival. “The semi-colon shows I could have chosen to end my sentence, but my story wasn’t over yet,” van Leuven explained.
On her throwing arm, the tattoo of the dart-playing monkey wearing a rainbow cape reflects both her love for monkeys and her passion for darts. “Whenever I play darts, he’s proudly playing as well,” van Leuven added, highlighting how the tattoo represents not only her personal identity but also her connection to the sport.
As van Leuven prepares to compete, her tattoos continue to be a reminder of her journey and the strength she draws from self-expression and the support of the community.
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