Japanese 11‑year‑old Yuki Kurihara won the gold medal in Puyo Puyo Champions at the Aichi‑Nagoya Asian Games, becoming the youngest ever to do so. The match took place on Saturday at the Aichi Sky Expo Hall, where Kurihara defeated South Korean opponent Kang Dong Shin 10‑2.
Kurihara’s victory followed a dominant group‑stage performance that saw him top Group A before eliminating Singapore’s Justin Koh Mun 5‑0 and Thailand’s Tanarak Wongkitikun 10‑1.
Kurihara, who wears glasses, trains eight hours a day while maintaining good grades. He has been playing Puyo Puyo since kindergarten and says eel is his favourite training food. After the win he described the gold medal as “beautiful, shiny and heavy” and praised the accompanying plush toy. He noted that the final gave him the chance to play against a strong opponent he had wanted to face.
Silver medalist Kang Dong Shin admitted the loss was frustrating, saying he struggled to get the colours he needed in the closing stages. He praised Kurihara’s technical skill and accuracy, calling him “extremely good at making large chain reactions.” Kang also said he would eat something delicious after the match.
The Games, which began in 1951 in New Delhi, introduced esports three years ago in Hangzhou, China, where the event drew crowds distributed by lottery. Esports is popular in Japan.
