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Yuki Kurihara, an 11-year-old eSports athlete from Japan, made history by becoming the youngest competitor at the Asian Games, where he plays Puyo Puyo Champions, a puzzle game similar to Tetris. Competing against opponents nearly three times his age, Kurihara won all four matches in Group A and aims for a gold medal on Saturday. He attributes his success partly to eating eel before competitions and secured his place on the Japan team at just 10 years old, turning professional two months before his 11th birthday.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
11-year-old Japanese player Yuki Kurihara made history by winning a gold medal at the Asian Games in Puyo Puyo Champions, an e-sports event similar to Tetris. He defeated South Korea's Kang Dongshin 10-2 in the final on Saturday. Prior to this match, he had already beaten Thailand’s Tanarak Wongkitkun 10-1 and other opponents almost three times his age during group stage matches. Kurihara trains eight hours daily while maintaining good school grades. He has been competing since kindergarten and eats eel for training. With this victory, Kurihara is believed to be the youngest gold medalist in Asian Games history, surpassing Indonesia's Bunga Nyimas who won bronze at age 12 in 2018.
Written for “Eel Prodigy Wins Esports Gold” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
Primary school student Yuki Kurihara made a flying start as he became the youngest athlete at this year's Asian Games.
asserted
he → publish → Games
The 11-year-old eSports star beat opponents almost three times his age in his native Japan on Thursday.
asserted
star → beat → Thursday
The youngster competes in Puyo Puyo Champions, a puzzle game similar to Tetris which was developed in Japan.
asserted
which → compete → Japan
Players try to clear their screen of coloured blobs by lining them up and popping them, creating chain reactions called 'dairensa'.
asserted
Players → try → reactions
Kurihara beat all four opponents to top Group A and he will attempt to win gold on Saturday.
asserted
he → beat → Saturday
"The best feeling in the world is winning," Kurihara told the Japan Times.
asserted
Kurihara → win → Times
, external "When I lose, I cry and try not to think about it too much.
asserted
I → lose → it
When the play doesn't go well it's not fun, so I want to quit.
asserted
I → go → ?
But I always come back.
asserted
I → come → ?
"I hope to win a gold medal for Japan."
asserted
I → hope → Japan
Japan's youngest athlete in Asian Games history could also become the competition's youngest ever medallist.
uncertain
athlete → become → history
Indonesia's Bunga Nyimas holds the record, having won bronze in women's skateboarding aged 12 in 2018.
asserted
Nyimas → hold → 2018
eSports has appeared in the previous two editions of the Asian Games, with Puyo Puyo being one of 11 medal events this year.
asserted
Puyo → appear → events
Kurihara says he eats eel to prepare for contests and secured his place on the Japan team at just 10 years old.
asserted
he → say → team
In February he beat an adult professional to win Sega's Puyo Puyo Grand Prix Final and he turned pro himself in April - two months before his 11th birthday.
asserted
he → beat → birthday
The Asian Games are being held in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area from 19 September to 4 October.
asserted
Games → hold → October
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