Kim Young-chan won a bronze medal in 'Gran Turismo 7' at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. This marks the South Korean national esports team's first medal of the tournament.
On September 23, Kim finished 3rd out of 8 competitors in the 'Gran Turismo 7' (hereinafter 'GT7') finals held at Aichi Sky Expo Exhibition Hall D in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The finals were conducted by combining points earned across three races to determine the final standings.
After scoring 3 points in the first race, Kim launched a counteroffensive in the second. He crossed the finish line first with a time of 20:00.052, adding 10 points to his tally. Second-place Taj Madira of Malaysia recorded 20:00.106, as Kim edged him out by a mere 0.054 seconds.
At the end of Race 2, Kim sat in 3rd place with a total of 13 points. Japan's Ryota Kokubun and Malaysia's Taj Madira shared the lead with 16 points each. Depending on the final race outcome, Kim still had a chance to mount a comeback victory.
In the final race, the Saudi Arabian competitor finished ahead of Kim. Although both drivers tied in total points, the Saudi Arabian athlete claimed the silver medal due to a higher finish in the final race, while Kim took the bronze medal.
A member of DCT Racing, Kim is a driver who has competed in both real-world motorsports and sim racing. He earned his spot on the national team by placing 1st overall in the national trials held last May, and went on to claim a bronze medal at these Asian Games.
After being eliminated in 'eFootball' with a 1-2 record on September 22, the South Korean national esports team secured its first medal with Kim's bronze. The team will continue its medal quest on September 26 in fighting games, including Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and The King of Fighters.
