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Professional esports athlete Olexandr Kostylev, 24, has become the gaming champion of the world at the prestigious Esports Awards.
Kostylev, also known under his gaming nickname s1mple, competes in the online first-person shooter “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.” Since 2013, he has earned $1.3 million in 127 tournaments.
Kostylev plays for the Ukraine-based esports team Natus Vincere, or NaVi, which Esports Awards considers to be the world’s fourth-best team.
Esports are a booming global industry valued at nearly $1 billion. Last year, Ukraine recognized computer gaming as a sport to attract investment into the country.
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