Yuki Kurihara, an 11-year-old e-sports prodigy from Japan, secured the gold medal in the Puyo Puyo Champions tournament at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Saturday, establishing himself as the youngest gold medalist in the host nation’s history at the multi-sport event.
Despite his youthful appearance and status as a primary school student, Kurihara dominated the competition, defeating opponents significantly older than himself. In the final, he rallied from an early 1-0 deficit to beat South Korea’s 24-year-old Kang Dongshin with a score of 10-2.
Kurihara’s path to the podium included a semifinal victory over Thailand’s Tanarak Wongkitkun, a 28-year-old veteran, where he won 10-1. Throughout the matches, he maintained a remarkably calm demeanor, showing little emotion even after securing the championship.
When asked about his stoic performance, Kurihara admitted, “To be completely honest, I felt a bit embarrassed, so I couldn’t really show my expressions or change my face much.”
During the medal ceremony, the bespectacled champion bowed slightly while receiving his award and offered a small wave to the spectators. He later described his delight with the accolade, noting, “I’m really happy. The gold medal is really beautiful, shiny and heavy,” and added that he found the accompanying gold-colored plush toy “super cute.”
Kurihara began playing the puzzle game Puyo Puyo during his first year of primary school and quickly progressed to winning tournaments. He obtained his professional license in April of this year and regularly competes against adults.
“It’s hard having to balance it with school and cram school, but it’s really fun,” he said prior to the games.
While there are no official public records detailing the youngest medallists in Asian Games history since the event’s inception in 1951, notable young achievements include Indonesia’s Bunga Nyimas, who won bronze in women’s skateboarding at age 12 in Jakarta in 2018, and China’s Cui Chenxi, who claimed e-sports gold in women’s street skateboarding at age 13 in Hangzhou three years ago.
Honestly, watching adults get destroyed 10-2 by a primary schooler is both impressive and slightly alarming.
The stoic reaction was hilarious but also respectful. He handled the finals like a true pro.
Wait, Puyo Puyo is officially at the Asian Games now? I thought it was just a casual puzzle game!
I’m curious about the pressure on an 11-year-old. Does the Japanese education system allow time for this?
So proud! This shows Japan’s growing strength in competitive gaming. The kid is incredible.