Young Japanese Prodigy Yuki Kurihara Secures Esports Gold at Asian Games

NAGOYA, Japan — Eel is his favorite training food, and at just 11 years old, he discovered his passion for the sport while attending kindergarten.

Esports is his specialty.

Meet Yuki Kurihara, the Japanese elementary school student who defeated South Korea’s Kang Dongshin 10-2 on Saturday to claim the Puyo Puyo Champions puzzle game title at the Asian Games.

He overcame Thailand’s Tanarak Wongkitikun 10-1 in the semifinals, a significant victory against a 28-year-old competitor considered relatively seasoned.

“I’m incredibly happy,” Kurihara said. “The gold medal is truly beautiful, shiny, and heavy.”

He also expressed his fondness for the mascot doll awarded to him for his victory.

“The plush toy is incredibly cute, and it’s awesome that it is gold-colored as well,” he added.

Kang, the runner-up in the final, praised Kurihara:

“It was obvious my opponent was highly skilled and surpassed my level,” Kang stated. “His technical ability and accuracy are remarkable.”

Kurihara is believed to be the youngest-ever gold medalist in the Asian Games, an international multi-sport event dating back to 1951 in New Delhi, India. He is undoubtedly the youngest medalist at these particular Games.

Japanese media reports indicate that he trains for eight hours daily while maintaining his academic grades at school.

Esports made its debut at the Asian Games three years ago in Hangzhou, China. The sport was so popular that tickets had to be distributed by lottery, and it remains a massive audience favorite in Japan.

The Asian Games are seeing a surge of young talent. Twelve-year-old Kamus Wong is competing for Hong Kong in skateboarding, while 13-year-old Yu Zidi of China secured three gold medals in swimming.

At just 17, Japanese swimmer Shin Ohashi—described as a relative senior citizen in the context of the Games—set a world record in the 200-meter breaststroke on Thursday.

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