China’s Mu first woman to win in e-sports at Games

Mu Xinyue called it “the happiest moment of my life” after she became the first woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in e-sports.

The 20-year-old played a pivotal role as China beat hosts Japan to win the final of horror survival game Identity V in Nagoya.

“When the national anthem was played and the gold medal was around my neck, I was so excited and happy,” Xinhua news agency quoted her as saying. “I think this may be the happiest moment of my life.”

People watch an Asian Games e-sports match at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname City, Japan, yesterday.

Photo: AFP

Mu is the only woman in China’s 23-strong e-sports squad at the Games.

At Asia’s biggest sporting spectacular there are 534 eSports competitors. Just 14 of them, or less than 3 percent, are women.

For South Korea, another gaming heavyweight, Park So-yeon became the first woman to represent their national team when she competed in Nagoya.

Following her landmark gold medal on Wednesday, Mu said the only thing that mattered was ability.

“As the first female player to win the gold medal, I don’t think gender is something that should define us or be used as a benchmark,” she said.

“I think every player who makes it here has earned their place through their own ability,” she added.