Lonely garage hours pay off for Canada's Laos-Loo at Pan Am Games with karate bronze

When Claudia Laos-Loo tells people she competes in kata, she's prepared for "what's that?" and "why do you scream?"

The 26-year-old martial artist from Surrey, B.C., earned a Pan American Games bronze medal Friday in kata, which is sequences of specific karate moves, including punches, kicks, blocks, footwork and breathing techniques.

Amid a plethora of Pan Am Games combat sports, including karate's kumite, kata is done solo, but judged against an opponent's performance.

"What I find intriguing about kata is seeing someone go from such a relaxed state to the explosiveness and surprise elements of an attack," Laos-Loo said.

As for the shrieks and shouts that erupt during certain kata moves, Laos-Loo says there's a reason for that.

"I like to think of it as a way to release all your emotions, to not hold back. It's also physiological," Laos-Loos said. "You have to release all that carbon dioxide in your body to make sure the movement is full force. It is a way to release your fears.

"If you're encountering anybody in the street, for example, you want to show your confidence or how strong you can stand your ground, just by screaming sometimes. You don't even need to make a move."

Karate, including kata, was included in Tokyo's Olympic Games program in 2021, but isn't on the menu in Paris in 2024 or Los Angeles in 2028.

Laos-Loo, who competed at a national level in kumite, began training kata in 2019, but not in time for Tokyo.

So the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile, were her chance to experience a multi-sport Games as part of a larger Canadian team.

"I personally made this my goal two years ago to qualify and compete at these Games," Laos-Loo said. "I literally train in my garage by myself. Just me and my phone if I want to