Pokémon World Championships competitor Kevin Han simply gained the 2025 Video Sport Seniors World Champion title in Anaheim, CA, making him the primary to win the VGC Pokémon World Championships in each the Junior and Senior age divisions. To make this achievement much more spectacular, Han took these titles back-to-back, and this yr, with a very undefeated document.
“I’ve no phrases to explain it. It’s an unreal feeling, I nonetheless can’t consider it,” Han mentioned after being requested about his unprecedented achievement.
Han, a 12-year-old from Pennsylvania, US, confronted Sian Lee from South Korea within the Senior division finals. Final yr, Han was defeated solely twice throughout his climb to the Junior Championship title, and a kind of defeats was by the hands of Lee, making this finals match-up particularly nerve-racking.
Earlier than the match, Han’s brother, Chris Han, was requested about how Kevin Han was feeling.
“I can let you know one factor, he’s tremendous nervous… however Kevin’s bought this,” Chris Han mentioned. “I don’t have any phrases of recommendation, simply belief your intestine Kevin–you understand precisely what to do.”
Chris Han’s religion in his brother rang true, as Kevin Han gained 2-0.
“I feel after flip certainly one of every recreation, the place I bought my positioning up, I feel I felt quite a bit higher,” Kevin Han mentioned. “Generally for those who’re too nervous it might harm you, however, in my view, having no less than just a little little bit of nerves may help you a large number.”
Kevin Han secured his victory within the second match with a Double Ok.O. along with his Ice Rider Calyrex’s Glacial Lance, tremendous efficient on Lee’s Rillaboom and simply highly effective sufficient to complete off the previously-damaged Zamazenta.
Ray Rizzo is the one earlier Pokémon competitor to have gained the VGC Championship in two divisions: the Senior division in 2010, then the Grasp division in 2011. This makes Kevin Han the first-ever contender with the power to take the World Championship title in all three divisions: Juniors, Seniors, and Masters. We’ll have to attend three years earlier than he ages into the Masters division, the place he simply would possibly make historical past but once more.
Kevin Han’s win isn’t the one historic first at this yr’s Pokémon World Championships. That is additionally the primary ever time Championship Sunday was held in a devoted enviornment somewhat than on the stage on the conference middle ground.
Casey DeFreitas is a deputy editor on the guides workforce at IGN and this yr is the second time she’s coated the Pokémon World Championships in Anaheim, CA. Catch her on socials @ShinyCaseyD.
