'Impossible,' an 11-year-old elementary school student has achieved it! 'Puyo Puyo' prodigy secures the youngest medalist in Asian Games history for Japan's national team → now aiming for a gold medal [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

The 11-year-old boy who secured the youngest medalist in Asian Games history raced unimpeded to the finals. The protagonist is Yukuri Yuki (stage name: Yuki), a fifth-grade elementary school student representing Japan's e-sports national team.

On the 26th, Kurahara defeated Thailand's Wongkitikun Tanarak in the semi-finals of the 'Puyo Puyo' puzzle game tournament at the '2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games' held at the Aichi International Exhibition Hall in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. With just one victory needed to secure the gold medal he had set as his goal, he already clinched a silver medal. Having reached the finals, Kurahara will face the winner of the match between South Korea's Kang Dong-shin and Taiwan's Guo Tzu-yang in the final showdown for the gold medal.

Earlier, Kurahara easily advanced through the group stage with a perfect record as the top seed, then completely defeated Singapore's Ko Wen Jun Justin 5-0 in the quarterfinals. This victory propelled him to the semi-finals, guaranteeing at least a bronze medal and setting a new record as the youngest medalist in Asian Games history. According to Japanese media Sports Hochi, he broke the previous record held by Indonesia's Bunga Nimas, who won a bronze medal in the women's skateboarding event at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games at age 12, surpassing it after eight years.

The momentum continued into the semi-finals. In the quarterfinals, Kurahara unleashed a stunning '13-consecutive combo' that turned the stadium into a sea of excitement, and in the semi-finals, he secured his ticket to the finals with flawless, unshakable play.

Immediately after the quarterfinals, Kurahara told Sports Hochi in an interview: "My condition was excellent, and the flow of the game was great, so I was able to win. Since winning the next match will determine whether I secure a gold or silver medal, I am determined to win." He has now proven his resolve.

Kurahara first started playing 'Puyo Puyo Tetris 2' as a Christmas gift when he was six years old and quickly gained attention as a prodigy by executing combos of up to 19 consecutive hits. He obtained professional qualification at age 10 last year and made it through Japan's sole Asian Games national team selection tournament to compete in the Asian Games.

Having secured the youngest medalist title in history and written a new page in history, Kurahara now confidently aims for the gold medal at the Asian Games.

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*This content was translated by AI.