Two transgender players Lucy Smith and Harriet Haynes faced off in the final of a women’s pool tournament championship in the UK, defeating every female opponent
In the UK, two transgender athletes overcame their female counterparts in a women’s pool tournament title.
At the Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan, Harriet Haynes and Lucy Smith faced off in the Ultimate Pool Women’s Pro Series Event 2.
Who is transgender pool player Lucy Smith who competed in Ultimate Pool Women’s Pro Series Event 2 2025 final
Each contestant advanced to the championship match by defeating four female opponents.
Although Haynes’ matches were all quite tight, Smith dominated the bracket’s opening round. Smith defeated Vicki Lomax 7-1 after defeating Jane Mitchell 7 frames to 3 in the opening round.
At one point in the championship match, Haynes had a 6-3 lead, but Smith rallied to trim the gap to one. However, Haynes managed to hold onto the win.
Haynes emerged victorious in the final with a score of 8-6.
Before making it to the final, Smith had won 62% of 848 frames and 85 of 113 games since 2021, according to Ultimate Pool Group. Before facing Smith, Haynes had won 61% of the frames and had a.750 winning percentage in 241 lifetime matches.
Haynes’ path to the title included wins over Megan Proctor and Mary Talbot while Smith reached the final by defeating Jane Mitchell 7-3 in the first round and Vicki Lomax 7-1, before later knocking out Kirsty-Lee Davies and Danielle Randle.
Lucy who is a biological male now identifies as a woman and competes in female pool tournaments.
Harriet Haynes headed to defend her title in 2025 after finishing the 2024 season as the top-ranked women’s player in the Ultimate Pool Pro Series. Along with finishing first in 2022, Haynes also placed second in 2023. Lucy Smith came in fifth place in 2023 and sixth in 2024.
According to the Ultimate Pool website, the prize for first place is 1,800 pounds (about $2,320), while the prize for second place is 900 pounds (around $1,160). 2,700 pounds are awarded to the remaining top finishers (a total of 16 places are paid). Ultimate Pool Pro Series players Harriet Haynes and Lucy Smith will so get the same amount of money as the 14 ladies they defeated.
According to their website, transgender athletes are permitted to participate in the sport with no limitations under the rules of the World Eightball Pool Federation (WEPF) and the English Pool Association. Since December 2023, the English Pool Association’s bylaws have been being reviewed.
Only individuals who were “born female” will be permitted to participate in the sport, according to a WEPF announcement made in August 2023.
“We understand that this decision may prompt questions and discussions within our sport. We want to emphasize that our commitment to upholding the values of sportsmanship, inclusivity, and adherence to regulatory standards remains unwavering,” the WEPF said at the time.
However, the WEPF revoked that protection in October of that year. Transgender competitors were permitted as long as they provided documentation of reduced testosterone levels and had identified as female for at least four years.
While in pool, the difference between men and women might not be as pronounced as in other, more physically demanding sports, men do still have some biological advantages. The chief issue being that anyone who has gone through male puberty will have, on average, a much wider wingspan and be much taller than someone who hasn’t as they have a longer reach, and a lot of them are taller, making it easier for men to make shots with greater power and speed.