Kim Young-chan secured a bronze medal in the racing game Gran Turismo 7, marking the first medal for the South Korean eSports team at this tournament.
On September 23, at the Aichi Sky Expo in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Kim finished third in the Asian Games eSports Gran Turismo 7 finals with a total of 25 points across three races. He tied with Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Alfareh at 25 points but earned the bronze based on his performance in the final race. The gold medal went to Taj Madira of Malaysia, who scored 36 points.
The finals consisted of three races on different tracks and vehicle types. The first race took place on a virtual track inspired by urban highways in Japan, called 'Tokyo Expressway - South Counterclockwise,' using the 'Toyota GR86 RZ.' Kim started strong but fell to sixth place after colliding with a wall, finishing the race with 3 points.
The second race was set on the 'Grand Valley Highway-1,' based in California, using the 'Toyota GR Supra.' Kim, starting in sixth place, climbed to the front and overtook Madira just before the finish line, winning by a narrow margin of 0.054 seconds and adding 10 points to his total.
The final race was held on the virtual circuit 'Deep Forest Raceway,' featuring the high-performance 'Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept.' This race required strategic pit stops for tire changes and fuel replenishment. Kim maintained a strong position throughout and, after a pit stop, briefly lost his place to Ryota Gokubun but regained it in the latter half. He crossed the finish line in third place, contributing 12 points to his total.
Gran Turismo 7 is a racing simulation game that replicates real car racing and was officially included as a medal event for the first time in this Asian Games.
Additionally, Kim recorded a time of 2 minutes and 11.682 seconds in the time attack the previous day, placing first among 15 participants. He also advanced to the finals by finishing first in Group A during the qualifying rounds.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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