NAGOYA: Japan celebrated a “godlike” new sporting hero on Sunday with 11-year-old eSports whizz-kid Yuki Kurihara’s face splashed throughout newspaper entrance pages after he received a historic Asian Video games gold.
The first college scholar crushed the competitors on residence soil in Nagoya, beating gamers nearly thrice his age.
He romped to a 10-2 victory within the last of Puyo Puyo Champions, a puzzle sport the place gamers attempt to clear their display screen of colored blobs by lining them up and popping them.
It made him the youngest gold medallist in Asian Video games historical past and Japan’s latest sporting star.
“Eleven-year-old gold!” screamed a headline in Japan’s Sports activities Hochi newspaper.
“Miracle 15-chain combo within the last!”
Kurihara, who doesn’t flip 12 till June subsequent 12 months, is Japan’s youngest athlete in Asian Video games historical past.
He says he likes to eat eel earlier than competitions and that his dream is to change into a prepare driver.
He stated he felt “embarrassed” after successful gold on Saturday, however famous that his medal was “actually lovely, shiny and heavy”.
He confirmed little emotion in the course of the competitors, locking in with a poker face and sustaining his cool even when he clinched victory.
“The invincible fifth-grader made all of it the way in which to the summit of Asia,” stated the Sports activities Nippon newspaper.
“He even yawned earlier than beginning the match.”
The article praised his “godlike” play after getting back from 1-0 right down to win the ultimate in model.
Kurihara’s dominant win was Japan’s first Asian Video games gold in eSports.
He began enjoying Puyo Puyo in his first 12 months of main college and shortly began competing and successful in tournaments.
He obtained his professional licence in April this 12 months and repeatedly beats adults.
Requested how he would spend any Asian Video games prize cash, he stated: “I like sparkly issues so I wish to purchase some gems.
“I like blue ones.”