'Happiest moment': China's Mu first woman to win eSports Games gold

NAGOYA: Mu Xinyue called it "the happiest moment of my life" after she became the first woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in eSports.

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."

Mu is the only woman in China's 23-strong eSports squad at the Games.

Competitive gaming remains dominated by men.

At Asia's biggest sporting spectacular there are 534 eSports competitors.

Just 14 of them, or less than three 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 that whether you're a man or a woman, everyone needs to have enough ability to compete at this level.

"I think every player who makes it here has earned their place through their own ability."

Competitive gaming made its full debut at the Asian Games in Hangzhou three years ago.-AFP