Li Qiaoqiao (left) of China competes with Laura Alikul of Kazakhstan during the Women's Kumite -68kg Gold Medal Contest of Karate at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, Oct 5, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

HANGZHOU - Chinese karateka Li Qiaoqiao clinched the women's kumite 68kg gold medal on the sport's opening day at the Hangzhou Asian Games here on Thursday.

After sailing past Palestine's Hala Alqadi 9-0 in the semifinal, Li had another comfortable contest in the final, taking down Laura Alikul of Kazakhstan 4-0.

"Thanks to my team. Without their work, I couldn't have made it," Li said after the final, adding that she also attributed her success to the spectators for their encouragement during the contest.

Li Qiaoqiao of China celebrates after the Women's Kumite -68kg Gold Medal Contest of Karate at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, Oct 5, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Japan's Kiyou Shimizu and Kazumasa Moto claimed the women's and men's individual kata titles respectively, while Nurkanat Azhikanov of Kazakhstan beat Jordan's Hasan Masarweh 8-0 to pocket the men's kumite 75kg gold.

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With 14 gold medals on offer, the karate competition runs through Sunday, also the concluding day of the Hangzhou Asiad.