'I felt embarrassed': Japan esports whizz-kid, 11, wins Games gold

TOKONAME, Japan witnessed South Korea clinching the gold medal in the esports fighting games event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Saturday. This marked the nation's first gold medal in esports at the Asian Games held in Japan.

The winning team comprised Lee Kwang-noh, Yeon Jea-gil, and Bae Jae-min. They emerged victorious against Japan with a score of 5-2 in the final held at Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, situated approximately 35 kilometers south of Nagoya, the primary host city of the Asian Games.

The esports fighting games event encompasses popular titles like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and The King of Fighters XV. Each of the three gamers took turns playing their respective games.

Saturday marked a significant milestone for South Korea in esports at the Asian Games, as they secured their maiden gold medal. Previously, Kang Dong-shin had earned silver in the puzzle game Puyo Puyo Champions, while Kim Young-chan had claimed bronze in the auto racing game Gran Turismo 7 on Wednesday.

Yeon Jea-gil dropped the opening match of Street Fighter 6 against Kojiro Higuchi by a score of 2-1. However, Lee Kwang-noh bounced back with a win in The King of Fighters XV by a score of 2-1, bringing the overall score to a tie. In Tekken 8, Bae Jae-min was defeated by Daichi Nakayama with a score of 2-1, allowing Japan to regain the overall lead at 2-1. In the subsequent match of The King of Fighters, Lee Kwang-noh outplayed Akihito Sawada with a score of 2-0.