by in
One year ago, EDward Gaming (EDG) marked China’s presence on the global VALORANT stage with their first victory at VALORANT Champions Tour Masters Tokyo and a top-six finish at Champions 2023.
Fast forward to today, and EDG has made history by winning VALORANT Champions 2024, defeating Team Heretics 3-2 in a thrilling grand final, solidifying their place as the first global champions from China.
THE 2024 WORLD CHAMPIONS OF VALORANT! #VALORANTChampions pic.twitter.com/VwcuXpB3uL
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 25, 2024
The grand final was an epic showdown, featuring five intense maps: Haven, Sunset, Lotus, Bind, and Abyss.
As upper bracket finalists, EDG used their double map ban to remove Ascent and Icebox.
The series began with Heretics taking Haven 13-6, but EDG swiftly responded by dominating Sunset 13-4 and winning Lotus 13-9.
Heretics, however, fought back on Bind, securing a narrow 13-11 victory to push the series to the final map.
In the end, EDG triumphed on Abyss 13-9, clinching the championship.
Both teams had experienced setbacks at VCT Masters Madrid and heartbreak at Masters Shanghai but returned stronger, blazing through Seoul to reach the grand final.
For EDG, this victory was about more than just winning—it was about breaking barriers for China and claiming their first international trophy after an undefeated playoff run.
The match was filled with standout performances.
EDG’s Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang broke the VCT best-of-five series kill record with 111 kills, 26 of which were first kills, earning him the MVP title.
MVP Performance from @zmjjkk pic.twitter.com/2NmJ4si2yz
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 25, 2024
His remarkable plays, including clutch Guardian kills in the final map, were crucial in securing EDG’s victory.
Wan “CHICHOO” Shunzhi, Zhang “Smoggy” Zhao, and rookie Hsieh “S1Mon” Meng-hsun also delivered stellar performances, with CHICHOO’s heroics on Lotus and S1Mon’s crucial plays on Abyss standing out.
Team Heretics, despite their loss, showcased incredible skill and determination, pushing EDG to their limits.
Players like Dominykas “MiniBoo” Lukaševičius and Benjy “benjyfishy” David Fish delivered key moments, particularly on Bind, where they were nearly forced into overtime.
This victory is monumental for EDG and the entire Chinese VALORANT scene.
Not only did they become the first Chinese team to win an international tournament, but they also claimed the Champions trophy in the inaugural season of VCT China as an official partner league.
As ZmjjKK declared after the win, “This is just the beginning,” hinting at China’s future dominance in the VALORANT scene.
EDward Gaming’s triumph at VALORANT Champions 2024 will be remembered as one of the most competitive and historic finals, a testament to their resilience, skill, and the rise of Chinese esports on the global stage.
