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Yuki Kurihara Asian Games esports victory

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2026-09-27 03:39 UTC → 2026-09-27 17:18 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Yuki Kurihara, an 11-year-old Japanese esports player representing Tokyo Verdy, won the gold medal in the Puyo Puyo Champions event at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. Kurihara secured the championship with a decisive 10-2 victory over South Korea’s Kang Dongshin in the final match. Throughout the tournament, Kurihara maintained a perfect seven-win record, ~~demonstrating~~ having previously defeated competitors from Singapore and Thailand. During the competition, Kurihara demonstrated exceptional ~~skill such as~~ skill, including a notable 15-chain sequence. This achievement marks the first esports gold medal for the Japanese delegation at these games and establishes Kurihara as the youngest medalist in Asian Games ~~history, surpassing a previous record held by an Indonesian skateboarder.~~ history. Following the win, Kurihara appeared on the TBS program ‘Sunday Japon’ to ~~celebrate~~ celebrate. The young player, a fifth-grade student who obtained a professional license in April, noted he felt ‘a bit embarrassed’ by his dominant performance, which limited his emotional expression during matches. He also expressed happiness regarding the ~~victory.~~ gold medal and the mascot plush toy prize, adding that he would like to use prize money to buy blue gemstones because ‘I like sparkly things.’ His victory has sparked social media debate regarding reward systems for young athletes. Because the Asian Games lack a standardized prize money system, the Japan eSports Association currently has no plans to award financial prizes, leading to discussions over whether such rewards are appropriate for minors.

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