Hong Kong's karateka Grace Lau made history on Wednesday by becoming the first athlete from the territory to rise to number one in the world rankings.

She's on 7,125 points, 60 more than Japan's Hikaru Ono for the top spot.

Last year, Lau struck gold for the first time at the Asian Karate Championships in Malacca in July, while grabbing her first silver at the World Championships in Budapest in October.

In response to topping the world rankings, Lau wrote on social media that "this success is a reminder to keep pushing boundaries and keep believing [in] myself".

The 32-year-old was also a bronze medallist at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.