Lisa Ashton: ‘I don’t want special treatment as the first woman on the men’s darts tour’

Four-time women’s world champion qualified for the PDC tour by a tiny margin and she celebrated with tea and a takeaway

The Barnsley Metrodome is not exactly the first place you think of when it comes to the twists and turns of women’s sport. But on Saturday lunchtime, when Lisa Ashton toes the oche in a moment few darts fans would ever have imagined, it will be the latest step for a sport that has unexpectedly gained a reputation as a trailblazer for breaking down the barriers of gender discrimination at the highest level.

Female darts players have competed alongside the men for years. Ashton’s appearance at the PDC World Championship two years ago, when she narrowly lost to Jan Dekker in the first round, emphasised the growing quality in the women’s game. But in recent months, women’s darts has gained more mainstream media attention than ever before.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Uuw6Id
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