Lau Mo Sheung Grace of China's Hong Kong competes during the women's kata gold medal match of Karate event at the World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

Lau Mo Sheung Grace of Hong Kong, China claimed the women's kata gold in karate at the 2025 World Games here on Friday, delivering the Hong Kong delegation's first gold in Chengdu and only its second in the World Games history - and its first-ever in a women's event.

Lau's flawless 45.3-point routine beat Japan's Maho Ono for silver and Spain's Paola Gacia Lozano for bronze.

"This gold medal was a promise to my grandmother, who passed away two weeks ago," said the 33-year-old. "This world title makes it real - I am a world champion now."

In the men's kata final, Japan's Kakeru Nishiyama took gold ahead of America's Ariel Torres Gutierrez, with Alessio Ghinami of Italy earning bronze.

Drama struck in the women's kumite -55kg semifinals when China's Wei Yuchun saw a 9-1 lead over Ukraine's Anzhelika Terliuga erased after a successful protest. The match was restarted from Terliuga's original 1-0 lead, and Wei eventually lost, finishing fourth. Germany's Mia Bitsch went on to win gold, beating Terliuga, while Chile's Valentina Toro Meneses claimed bronze.

"Having all nine points stripped and restarting from 1-0 down - I've never experienced this," Wei said, adding that she was still proud of outscoring the defending champion. "She was my idol as a child, and now I believe I can beat her."

Also on Friday, Iran's Sara Bahmanyar upset world No. 1 Moldir Zhangbyrbay of Kazakhstan for the women's kumite -50kg gold, with Croatia's Ema Sgardeli taking bronze.

In the men's kumite -60kg division, Turkey's Eray Samdan beat Japan's Hiromu Hashimoto for gold, and Greece's Christos Xenos secured bronze.

Morocco's Said Oubaya beat Japanese Yugo Kozaki in the men's kumite -67kg final to take gold, and Abdel Rahman Tayel Hayel Almasatfa of Jordan pocketed bronze.