Hong Kong karate star Grace Lau Mo-sheung has narrowly lost out to her Japanese rival Kiyou Shimizu in what could be a dress rehearsal for this year’s Asian Games – if they go ahead. Lau put aside talk of the Games in Hangzhou being postponed until next year because of China’s Covid-19 outbreak, saying she had “no fear” about that prospect, after finishing second in the WKF Karate 1 Premier League in Portugal. But an old nemesis took top spot and promises to remain in her path in Hangzhou. Shimizu won gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, with Lau taking bronze, and was a step above the third-placed Hongkonger on the Olympic podium in Tokyo . Bronze had seemingly become Lau’s colour. Since the Olympics, she had collected further medals of that hue at the World Championships in November, the Asian Championships in December and the first leg of the Premier League in February. The Japanese was in Lau’s way yet again in Sunday’s Premier League event. In the absence of Tokyo gold medallist Sandra Sanchez, the pair that the Spaniard beat to Olympic glory were the favourites for the female kata competition. It was Shimizu who came out on top, scoring 27.4 to Lau’s 26.08, but Lau found a silver lining. “I always get bronze, and I set my mind on changing colour this year,” said world No 4 Lau after her first silver medal in 12 months. It came in the same tournament in Portugal as her previous one – this time in Matosinhos rather than Lisbon. “It feels special to have won the silver medal this time – the same nation, same event, but different sensation. “The same week last year, Portugal was the first to restart the Premier League following the ease of the pandemic. I found a different atmosphere and environment this year.” Hong Kong’s leading karateka has been based in Miami since October, working hard on upgrading her shade of metal. “I had trained hard in the United States, so I wanted to execute all that I had practised,” she said. “I’m so grateful for a silver medal to start the season, which boosts my confidence for more podium finishes.” The 30-year-old had earlier outscored four opponents in her pool and elimination rounds, including Japan’s world No 9 Maho Ono 25.54 to 25.28 in the quarter-finals, and No 10 Carola Casale, of Italy, 26.34 to 25.88 in the semis. Lau has a busy summer schedule that includes the World Games in the US in July and, Covid-19 permitting, the Hangzhou Games in September, as well as several Premier League events, including the next one in mid-May in Rabat, Morocco. Asked about the possibility of the Asian Games being moved back to 2023, Lau said: “I have no control over it, so what’s the purpose of being nervous? “All I can do is get ready, and I’ll continue training in Miami. I had chosen to forego the Premier League in Baku, which is in early September, quite close to the Asian Games. But if the Games are indeed postponed, I will go to that Premier League competition instead.” Agence France-Presse reported on Friday that the Asian Games could be moved back a year, quoting a senior official from the Games’ governing body. Husain Al-Musallam, director general of the Olympic Council of Asia, said: “No official decision has been taken by the committee until now, but there is a possibility that it will be postponed.”