59-Year-Old Streamer Auntie Juan Beats Counter-Strike Pros

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A 59-year-old Chinese streamer, nicknamed Auntie Juan, is gaining attention for her impressive skills in the popular online shooter game, Counter-Strike. She recently became a viral sensation after defeating several top professional esports players. Unlike many people her age who are retiring, Auntie Juan is skillfully eliminating opponents and demonstrating that gaming talent isn’t limited by age.

Competitive first-person shooters, like Counter-Strike, are typically dominated by young players with incredibly fast reactions. These professional gamers often practice for more than ten hours daily to stay competitive. Because the game demands quick thinking and accurate aiming, it’s unusual to see players over 30 competing at the highest levels, especially those who started gaming later in life. But recently, older gamers are beginning to break these expectations and prove that age doesn’t necessarily limit success in the world of competitive gaming.

From Walking into Walls to One-Tapping Pros

Auntie Juan, also known as Zhong Juanjuan, wasn’t interested in video games at all until the pandemic lockdowns began, as reported by Sixth Tone’s Lü Xiao. Feeling bored, she asked her son to show her how to play. He remembers she initially struggled with even simple movements, but still enjoyed just moving her character forward. Auntie Juan herself admits she used to walk straight into walls and even look up at the sky while playing! Despite the difficulty, she practiced for five or six hours daily, sometimes even forgetting to water her plants as she focused on improving her skills.

By early 2026, Zhang had already spent an incredible 8,057 hours playing Counter-Strike. Her hard work recently paid off in a fun exhibition match put together by a well-known online creator. Zhang, known as Auntie Juan, went head-to-head with some of the world’s top Counter-Strike players, including 19-year-old Donk – ranked the best player globally in 2024 – and Sh1ro, a pro player who’s earned over $1 million in tournaments. During the match, she stunned everyone by instantly eliminating Donk with a perfect headshot, and quickly followed that up by taking down Sh1ro while he was jumping. Videos of her lightning-fast reflexes went viral on social media, leaving both the pro players and viewers completely amazed.

Some people might think Zhang’s success is just luck, but her previous career actually gave her a strong foundation for competitive Counter-Strike. She spent twenty years working with CNC machines, which demanded a high level of concentration and precise hand-eye coordination – skills that translate perfectly to aiming and reacting quickly in a fast-paced video game.

She had a rigorous training schedule for gaming, beginning with practice drills to improve her aim and build reflexes. After getting comfortable with the basics, she moved on to competitive matches to learn better timing, how to navigate the maps, and how to use grenades strategically. Her son became concerned about how much she was playing and eventually programmed the home Wi-Fi to shut off at 2 AM to make sure she got some sleep.

Auntie Juan became popular by livestreaming her gameplay to a large audience. However, she’s so good that many viewers suspect she isn’t who she seems. Her chat is full of speculation, with some people suggesting she uses special effects to look like an older woman, or that a younger player is pretending to be her using a voice changer. Zhang even shared one particularly strange accusation: someone asked if she was actually an AI!

Zhang dismisses the criticism, explaining that performing for an audience actually energizes her. She began working with a Chinese streaming agency in 2022, and her gaming has taken her all over the country to attend events. For Auntie Juan, competitive gaming is simply another way to stay engaged, similar to how others her age enjoy activities like square dancing or mahjong. “Getting started can be the hardest part,” she shares, “but once you do, you might discover a whole new world of possibilities.”

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2026-02-18 23:34