11-year-old Japanese player Yuki Kurihara wins esports gold medal at the Asian Games

NAGOYA, Japan – Eleven-year-old Japanese player Yuki Kurihara has claimed esports gold at the Asian Games. The elementary school student vanquished South Korea's Kang Dongshin 10-2 in the finals of the Puyo Puyo puzzle game.

In the semifinals, Kurihara outplayed Thailand's Tanarak Wongkitikun 10-1. The Thai esports veteran, aged 28, is believed to be the oldest competitor to have won a gold medal at the Asian Games, which began in 1951 in New Delhi, India.

Kurihara is reportedly the youngest gold medalist in the history of these games. Japanese media sources claim he trains for eight hours each day while maintaining top grades at school. Esports debuted at the Asian Games three years ago in Hangzhou, China, and quickly gained popularity, with ticket sales conducted via lottery.

Youth is on full display at this year's Asian Games. Twelve-year-old Kamus Wong, representing Hong Kong, competes in skateboarding, and 13-year-old Yu Zidi from China secured three gold medals in swimming. Although relatively seasoned, 17-year-old Japanese swimmer Shin Ohashi set a world record in the 200-meter breaststroke on Thursday.