In the Round of 16 at BLAST Slam I, Team Falcons fell to Gaimin Gladiators in a 0–2 defeat, marking the end of their tournament journey. The team, led by Jingjun "Sneyking" Wu, secured a 7th–8th place finish and a $40,000 prize for their efforts.
With their victory, Gaimin Gladiators move forward to the next round, where they are set to face the Chinese squad Xtreme Gaming.
Gaimin Gladiators’ mid-laner, Quinn "Quinn" Callahan, reflected on the team’s work ethic over the past year:
"In our second year together, we definitely trained less than we did in the first. That was evident early in the season. However, we took steps to address this in the second half of the year, and those adjustments paid off. We simply started playing more pub games, scheduling more scrims, and having deeper discussions about our strategies."
For Team Falcons, the defeat brought an end to a challenging tournament run, highlighted by their gruelling six-hour match against OG earlier in the playoffs. Despite their disappointment, the team demonstrated resilience and determination, ultimately losing to one of the strongest squads in the scene.
BLAST Slam I, held from 26 November to 1 December in Copenhagen, features ten of the world's top teams battling for a $1 million prize pool. Gaimin Gladiators continue their pursuit of glory, while their opponents now have the opportunity to reflect and refine their strategies for future tournaments.