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RIYADH. — Team YaLLa Esports were crowned winners at the second stage of this year’s Global Esports Tour in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh.
This was the first ever tournament with a live audience organised by the Global Esports Federation. Competing in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds mobile game, YaLLa stormed into a 41-point lead, in front of Rico Infinity Team, after two days of action.
However, their advantage was whittled down during the final day, to the extent that Falcons Esports were two kills away from joining them, at the top of the leaderboard.
However, YaLLa were ultimately able to secure the US$45,000 winning prize money, finishing four points clear of the second placed Falcons.
Rico finished third to round off the podium.
A total of 16 professional teams took part in the event, and millions tuned in online, alongside the thousands at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Centre.
After helping YaLLa to victory, Bandar Alkahtani paid tribute to the work of the team coach Kevin Salameh.
“Kevin was the key to our win,” Alkahtani claimed.
“He always motivated us and got us in the mood.”
He added he was ecstatic about his team’s triumph.
“We were under pressure to keep our top place,” Alkahtani said.
“All of the teams’ game play changed every day.
“It was literally different styles every day, and this was really difficult.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling, almost strange.
“This is the first time I felt like this, I’ve never felt like this before.
“You always think you want to be champion one day, and you repeat this story for over a year, that you will be champion one day.
“Finally, we did it.”
The chief executive of the GEF, Paul J. Foster, felt the organisation’s maiden live event proved a success.
“What a night,” Foster commented.
“The excitement at the Global Esports Tour Riyadh was electric and energising.
“The community loved the format, prestigious staging, and hyper-professional organisation. “We are committed to presenting powerful opportunities for our #worldconnected across the world by showcasing the pure human talent from these incredible athletes.
“The discipline, preparation – both physical and mental – combined with strategy and epic game play – was thrilling to see live.
“Congratulations and deep gratitude to HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud and the team at Saudi Esports Federation, and our delivery partners across the globe.”
The GET event in Los Angeles last month saw Team Kraken triumph in the online strategy card game Hearthstone, and was the GEF’s first in-person tournament since the beginning of the Covi-19 pandemic. — www.insidethegames.biz.
Online Reporter