Both karatekas performed Chatanyara Kushanku kata, but Lau’s mastery narrowly defeated Ono, the world number 2, in their fourth clash this season.
With a score of 42.7, Lau clinched her third consecutive female kata gold at the Asian championships.
Her victory also extended her podium streak to 28 straight international events dating back to February 2020 in Dubai’s Karate 1-Premier League.
The result has also anchored the SAR’s one gold, three bronze medal tally in the championships.
Wong Cheuk-lee secured bronze in the female kumite -68kg, while Hong Kong, China’s women’s and men’s kata team also claimed bronze.
In a parallel triumph, para-athlete Lam Man-lok wrote history with the city’s first-ever gold in the K22 category at the Asian Para Karate Championships, while fellow karateka Lau Yun-lin added bronze in the K10 visually impaired.
