(Asiad) S. Korea's Kim Young-chan wins bronze in Gran Turismo 7, 1st esports medal at 2026 Asian Games

TOKONAME, Japan - South Korean gamer and racer Kim Young-chan secured the bronze medal in Gran Turismo 7 at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Wednesday, marking South Korea's first esports medal at this year's competition. He achieved this triumph in the final of the esports event held at Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, located 35 kilometers south of Nagoya, Japan.

Taj Izrin Aiman Taj Madira of Malaysia claimed the gold, while Naif Abdulhakim S Alfaleh of Saudi Arabia secured the silver. This bronze medal is a significant milestone for South Korea, as it represents the nation's inaugural esports medal at the Asian Games, which features 11 gaming events, including Gran Turismo 7 and League of Legends (LoL).

In the Gran Turismo 7 final, eight players competed over three rounds on various circuits using different cars. Kim started the first race on pole position after winning the semifinals but finished sixth due to crashing into a wall on the third lap. In the second race, Kim began sixth but climbed to third on the sixth lap, ultimately crossing the finish line first.

Following the start of the third race, Kim plummeted to third place and struggled to narrow the gap with leader Taj Madira.