Xiomeng "VKLiooon" Li has become the first ever female world champion of the Hearthstone card battling game, earning herself a cool $200,000 in the process. This marks the end of an amazing record setting run this year, where Li became the first woman to qualify for the Hearthstone Global Finals, after being the first woman to win the Gold Open Tianjin Master Group Season 1 playoffs.
In the tournament itself, she went entirely unbeaten, clean sweeping every opponent off of the table without a loss. She's something else.
A CLEAN SWEEP!! VKLIOOON HAS WON THE HEARTHSTONE GLOBAL FINALS!!! pic.twitter.com/3PwNX0qcBq
— Hearthstone Esports (@HSesports) November 2, 2019
Combining powerful Druid and Hunter decks took her to the finals and beyond, and as PCGamer points out, that's particularly noteworthy, as Highlander Hunter strategies had been questioned by more experienced western players and commentators.
Their words proved empty, however, as Li took it all the way to the finals and becomes an icon among her countrymen and woman, and Hearthstone players. When asked about her feelings for being the first female player to win such a major tournament, Li said:
"I want to say for all the girls out there who have a dream for esports competition, for glory, if you want to do it and you believe in yourself you should just forget your gender and go for it."