Up on the stage Noa-Lynn van Leuven held her head high, trying to maintain her focus amid the cacophony of derision from the crowd. Despite the boos, this was simply a player facing a routine penalty in darts; van Leuven faced it with grace.
But then, you have the context. That context being death threats on a daily basis. Vicious messages on social media are part of van Leuven's reality as a player, prompting the Professional Darts Corporation to switch off comments on her posts.
It's just a great game, she said in the wake of her defeat. I love the game. I just want to play darts. And anyone who's being terrible about me, it says more about them.
This has been a breakthrough year for van Leuven, marked by landmark victories against men and multiple wins in the Women's Series. Her presence indicates a significant improvement in her game and confidence.
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