World Games: how Hong Kong’s Grace Lau could have ‘home’ advantage in Alabama
- The Olympic medal-winning karateka trains 2 hours away in Miami after relocating there in 2020
- She goes for glory in the 33-sport Games in Birmingham, with 14 other Hongkongers joining her there in a range of disciplines
The Olympic bronze medallist has made Miami her base for much of the past two-and-a-half years, and was feeling at ease in her surroundings as she prepared for the karate competition on the first full day of the 11-day, 33-sport Games.
“I am very calm at the moment,” the world No 4 said as she prepared to head to Birmingham this week. “Now what I want to do at the Games is win a medal.”
The kata specialist relocated her training base to Miami in early 2020, taking the opportunity to work alongside American men’s kata Olympic bronze medallist Ariel Torres, under his coach Robert Young. It proved to her benefit, so she stayed put even when the 2020 Olympics was postponed a year.
It was also easier to travel from Miami to Premier 1 competitions, and the same was true this week for the short hop to Birmingham.
“I can say I have half-home-court advantage,” the 30-year-old said. “At least I don’t have to worry about the time difference – I used to need more than a week to adjust after jet lag.”