Esports ace Erick Ngige claims season-opening win in France
What you need to know:
- This 23-year-old rising star teamed up with French esports sensation Peixoto in a thrilling 2v2 tournament that attracted participants from Sénégal, Nigeria, and Cote d’Ivoire.
Kenya's esports sensation Erick “Demon” Ngige kicked off the 2023/24 season with a remarkable victory at the Maison Des Mondes tournament in Paris, France.
This 23-year-old rising star teamed up with French esports sensation Peixoto in a thrilling 2v2 tournament that attracted participants from Sénégal, Nigeria, and Cote d’Ivoire.
In the opening match, they narrowly defeated Team Senegal 3-2. However, their real test came against Team Nigeria, where they ultimately lost 4-3 in a penalty shootout.
In the final match of the round-robin stage, Ngige and Peixoto defeated Cote d’Ivoire 3-0, securing their spot in the final of the tournament.
The grand finale featured Ngige against Africa’s top-ranked player, Dexx Jr, representing Team Senegal.
In a hard-fought battle, Ngige overcame a one-goal deficit to claim a thrilling 2-1 victory in extra time.
“It feels great to win my first tournament of the season on European soil. I am happy to do it against the best players in the world. This season, I promise my fans even better results,” an elated Ngige said.
Esports Kenya Federation president Ronny Lusigi was full of praise for Ngige.
“Well done to Demon. He continues to fly our flag high in the international esports space. As a federation, we are dedicated to providing more opportunities for Kenyan gamers to participate in international tournaments through social and corporate partnerships,” Lusigi said.
Lusigi thanked the French Embassy in Kenya, led by Ambassador Arnaud Suquet, for their support in facilitating the participation of Kenyan esports players in the competition.
He highlighted the importance of forging partnerships with established esports institutions in France for the development of esports in Kenya.
The Maison des Mondes Africains is an initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron seeking to create new opportunities to the creative economy sector in African nations.