Japan’s 11-year-old eSports player Yuki Kurihara has won gold at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. He defeated South Korea’s Kang Dongshin in the Puyo Puyo Champions final. Japan eSports whizz-kid, 11, wins Asian Games gold after a strong run through the competition. Kurihara won the final 10-2 against 24-year-old Kang. Kurihara is a primary school student from Japan. He is also the youngest athlete in Japan’s Asian Games history. He is believed to be the youngest competitor at this year’s Games. Puyo Puyo Champions is a puzzle game based on matching coloured pieces. Players clear blobs from their screens by arranging them into matching groups.
Kurihara entered the gold medal match after a convincing semi-final performance. He defeated Thailand’s Tanarak Wongkitkun 10-1. Wongkitkun is 28 years old and has far more competitive experience. The victory guaranteed Kurihara at least a silver medal. The final against Kang started with a difficult moment for the young Japanese player. Kang took the first game.
Kurihara then recovered and controlled the match. He eventually secured a 10-2 victory and claimed the gold medal. Despite his major victory, Kurihara remained calm after the final. He said he felt embarrassed and could not show much emotion. He later received his medal on the podium. Kurihara bowed slightly before giving a small wave to the crowd. He said he was happy with the gold medal. He also described the medal as beautiful, shiny, and heavy.
Kurihara began playing Puyo Puyo during his first year of primary school. He soon entered tournaments and began winning competitions.
He received his professional licence in April 2026. Since then, he has continued competing against much older players. Balancing competitive gaming with school remains part of his daily routine. Kurihara has also attended cram school while developing his eSports career. The young player’s achievement adds another notable moment to the Asian Games eSports competition. eSports has become part of the Games’ sporting programme. There are no publicly available records showing the youngest medallists across the entire Asian Games history. However, other young athletes have also won medals.
Indonesia’s Bunga Nyimas won a bronze medal in women’s skateboarding at age 12. She achieved that result at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
China’s Cui Chenxi won gold in women’s street skateboarding at the 2022 Asian Games. She was 13 years old at the time. After defeating an experienced field of competitors. Kurihara’s performance also highlights the growing presence of young players in competitive eSports. His victory gives Japan a gold medal in the Puyo Puyo Champions event. It also marks a significant achievement for the young player at his first major Asian Games appearance.
Read more about the latest Asian Games news for updates on medals, athletes, events and major sporting results.