11-year-old Japanese player Yuki Kurihara wins esports gold medal at the Asian Games
Eel is his favorite training food, he's only 11 years old, and he found his niche in his sport when he was in kindergarten. Meet Yuki Kurihara, the Japanese elementary school student who defeated Kang Dongshin of South Korea 10-2 on Saturday in the final of the Puyo Puyo Champions puzzle game at the Asian Games. Kurihara is believed to be youngest-ever gold medalist in the Asian Games, which date…
NAGOYA, Japan — Yuki Kurihara, an 11-year-old Japanese elementary school student, has won the gold medal in esports at the Asian Games. He defeated South Korean player Kang Dongshin 10-2 in the final of the Puyo Puyo Champions puzzle game. Kurihara also beat Thai player Tanarak Wongkitikun 10-1 in the semifinals. The Thai player, at 28, is a relative senior compared to the young Kurihara.
The Japanese media reports that Kurihara trains for eight hours daily and still manages to keep up with his schoolwork. Esports made its debut in the Asian Games three years ago in Hangzhou, China, and it proved to be a popular event, with tickets being distributed by lottery. Youth is thriving at the Asian Games, as evidenced by 12-year-old Kamus Wong of Hong Kong, who is competing in skateboarding, and 13-year-old Yu Zidi of China, who won three gold medals in swimming.
Even a 17-year-old Japanese swimmer, Shin Ohashi, set a world record in the 200-meter breaststroke earlier this week.
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