A 36-point victory makes Malaysian esports history

Malaysia’s Taj Izrin Aiman Taj Madira won gold in Gran Turismo 7 (GT7) at the 2026 Aichi–Nagoya Asian Games on 23 September. The 27-year-old finished the three-race final at Aichi Sky Expo with 36 points.

It was Malaysia’s first-ever Asian Games esports gold and the delegation’s second gold medal of these Games.

Second, second, first: how the final unfolded

  • Race one: second place.
  • Race two: second place.
  • Race three: first place.
  • Combined total: 36 points and the gold medal.

GT7 is a sim-racing esports competition. Taj Izrin followed two second-place finishes with victory in the third race, taking the title on the combined points total.

Saudi Arabia’s Naif Abdulhakim S. Alfaleh took silver, while South Korea’s Kim Young-chan won bronze.

Why the breakthrough matters

Two second-place finishes kept Taj Izrin in contention before victory in the last race completed his gold-medal run. For Malaysian esports, the breakthrough goes beyond a 36-point score: it marks a first appearance on the top step of an Asian Games podium.

In a Bernama interview, the Malaysia Esports Federation (MESF) president said Taj Izrin was among the earlier esports athletes supported through the National Sports Council’s Podium Programme. The historic win also brings attention to the sim racer and the support behind his development.

Malaysia’s campaign continues

The GT7 champion has been decided, but Malaysia’s Asian Games campaign continues. Attention now turns to whether other esports disciplines and national teams can add to the medal haul. For pre-Games context, see our Malaysia six-gold, 33-medal target explainer.

Edited by MPP88.com. The cover is an AI-generated original sim-racing illustration, not an event photograph or a depiction of the actual competition circuit or official medal design. This article contains no video or betting advice.

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