Japanese 11-year-old wins Asian Games eSports gold

NAGOYA, Japan – Eleven-year-old Yuki Kurihara emerged as the youngest gold medalist in Asian Games history, claiming victory in the Puyo Puyo Champions final on Saturday. The prodigy effortlessly dominated his competitors, all significantly older than himself, with a score of 10-2.

Believed to be the youngest competitor at the Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Kurihara made history as Japan's youngest athlete to ever participate in the Asian Games. Puyo Puyo Champions is a puzzle game where players aim to clear their screen of colored blobs by arranging them and popping them.

Kurihara maintained his composure throughout the competition, showcasing a series of impressive performances. In the semi-finals, he defeated Thailand's Tanarak Wongkitkun, a veteran at 28, 10-1. He later faced off against South Korea's 24-year-old Kang Dongshin in the final match and emerged victorious with a score of 10-1.

Kurihara began playing Puyo Puyo in his first year of primary school and quickly progressed to competing and winning in tournaments. He obtained his professional license in April and regularly outperforms adults. Balancing his intense training with school and cram school is a challenge, but Kurihara finds the experience enjoyable.

With no public records of the youngest medallist in the history of the Asian Games, which began in 1951, Kurihara's achievement stands unrivaled. However, notable achievements from other young athletes include Indonesia's Bunga Nyimas, who won bronze in women's skateboarding at 12 in Jakarta in 2018, and China's Cui Chenxi, who claimed gold in women's street skateboarding at 13 in Hangzhou three years ago.