"I only practice for two hours because of academy homework": 11-year-old Japanese prodigy aiming for youngest-ever gold medal... Future dream is 'train driver' [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

Yuki Kurihara (11, Tokyo Verdy), a strong contender for the youngest-ever Asian Games gold medal in history, has drawn attention with an answer fitting her age.

On the 24th, Kurihara secured first place in Group A by winning three consecutive matches in the group stage of the e-sports "Puyo Puyo" event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held at the International Exhibition Hall in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

Kurihara, who achieved three straight victories alongside South Korea's Kang Dong-shin (25), had already secured top spot in Group A early on. If Kurihara wins a medal at this tournament, she will surpass Ni'mas Budhiguna of Indonesia, who won bronze in the women's street skateboarding event at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games at age 12, becoming the youngest-ever medalist in Asian Games history.

What is remarkable is that Kurihara is still a fifth-grade elementary school student. According to the Japan e-Sports Association, she began playing Puyo Puyo seriously in first grade. By second grade, she was already defeating adult professional players in major tournaments, and in February this year, she even won the "Puyo Puyo Grand Prix Final," one of Japan's most prestigious official competitions.

Puyo Puyo is a puzzle-type e-sport where players eliminate connected "Puyos" of the same color while competing against opponents. The core skill lies not in ending the game immediately, but in the ability to chain-block removals to pressure the opponent. Kurihara's specialty is the "super combo," where she removes blocks of the same color consecutively; it is reported that she has achieved up to 19 consecutive combos, which is theoretically the maximum possible.

According to Sega's official website introduction, Kurihara obtained a professional license in April, becoming the first elementary school student to do so. While her skill level was already sufficient, she could only earn the pro title this year due to previous age restrictions in the operating regulations.

However, once she puts down the game console, she is unmistakably an elementary school student. According to another media outlet, Japan's CBC, Kurihara practiced about two hours daily. After returning home around 9 p.m. from academy, she completed her homework and then competed online with other players during the remaining time.

Her dream was not to become a professional gamer. Kurihara stated, "I'm busy with academy homework. I think I've already achieved quite a bit of what I can dream about through Puyo Puyo. My real dream is to be a train driver."

Kurihara and Kang Dong-shin, who advanced from the group stage, will challenge for medals in the tournament on the 26th. Although Kang lost to Kurihara, he secured second place in Group A and qualified for the final tournament by defeating Pibovarop 3-0, Yuwinglim 3-0, and Gonzalbo 3-2. The main tournament will proceed with a best-of-five format (first to five wins) for rounds 1–3, and a best-of-nineteen format (first to ten wins) for the semifinals and finals.

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*This content was translated by AI.