The karate star has clinched the city’s first Olympic medal in karate, which made its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Hot on the heels of the women’s table tennis win, Hong Kong karateka Grace Lau has another bagged medal for Hong Kong—the city’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in karate—taking home bronze as the sport made its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Lau competed against Turkey’s Dilara Bozan and earned 18.90 in technical performance and 8.04 in athletic performance for a total of 26.94 points, just 0.42 points ahead of her Turkish foe.
Lau’s win is historic—not only is she the first Hong Kong athlete to win an Olympic medal in karate, but it may also be the first and last time the sport is ever seen at the Olympics as it will not be part of the 2024 Paris Games.
See also: Hong Kong Women’s Table Tennis Team Wins Olympic Bronze Medal
Lau Mo Sheung Grace takes #bronze in the women's kata - a first #Karate medal for #HKG#StrongerTogether | #Tokyo2020 | @worldkarate_wkf pic.twitter.com/vPrS3YY5bL
— Olympics (@Olympics) August 5, 2021
“The Olympic Games are athletes’ highest and largest platform, it’s already incredible that [I] can participate in it, I’m happy that I have the ability to win this medal,” said Lau after the match. She added that when she took up the sport, she never expected that she could compete in the Olympics as karate was never included in the Games.
“I also know that a lot of citizens watched karate for the first time because of me, I’m glad that I can have this opportunity to show people what kata competitions are like,” she said.
See also: Hong Kong Fencer Cheung Ka-Long Makes History With Olympic Gold Medal
The 29-year-old’s win also brings Hong Kong's medal tally to five—its best-ever performance in a single Olympic event.
Lau started practising karate at 11 years old and competing internationally at 16. She has since brought home a number of medals including a bronze medal from the World Karate Championships, the Asian Games and the World Beach Games on top of being a three-time medallist at the Asian Karate Championships. She currently ranks sixth in the world.
See also: Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey Makes History With Second Silver Medal Win