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In a thrilling final showdown of the Street Fighter V: Champion Edition held at the China Hangzhou Esports Centre, Kim Gwan-woo, representing Republic of Korea, triumphed over Hsiang Yu-Lin from Chinese Taipei with a score of 4-3 to secure his country’s first gold medal in the Esports event at the 19^th Asian Games Hangzhou.

_{Kim Gwan-woo, Gold medalist}

Kim's remarkable achievement makes him the first Korean Esports athlete to clinch a gold medal at the Asian Games, which officially recognized Esports as a medal event for the first time in Hangzhou.

Kim, aged 44, stood as the oldest athletes of the Republic of Korea delegation at the Hangzhou Asian Games. With a professional gaming career spanning back to the late 1990s under the name M.Lizard, he brought a wealth of experience to the competition, establishing himself as one of the most seasoned participants. His journey into the world of competitive gaming was sparked by the Street Fighter series in the early 2000s, and it ultimately propelled him to the winner's circle of this prestigious tournament.

His opponent, Hsiang of Chinese Taipei, also known as GamerBee boasts a similar long-term career in the Esports fighting game circuit.

The atmosphere in the finals of the Street Fighter V: Champion Edition was electric as two seasoned Esports veterans clashed in the gaming arena of the Asian Games. The initial set saw Kim taking the lead with the character Vega, but Hsiang, portraying Lucia, orchestrated a remarkable comeback in the second set. With victories exchanged fervently in the subsequent sets, the match culminated in a climactic seventh set. In a historic moment, Kim emerged as the victor by defeating his adversary and securing the gold medal in a video game series that has captivated fans for over three decades.

_{Kim and Hsiang during the finals}

_{Hsiang and his teammate, Lin Li-Wei, meeting in the loser bracket}

_{Winners celebrating their wins}

_{Presenting the medals and flower bouquet during the Victory Ceremony were Mr. Hideki Okamura, OCA Esports & E Martial Arts Committee member and JeSU Founding President & Special Advisor, together with Mr. Lokesh Suji, AESF Vice President.}