“He’s like Iron Man, built from scraps in a cave.”

That’s how a karate friend and fellow competitor describes 2023 National Karate Champion Adam Kraus. The 25-year-old Fullerton native is currently the first seed nationally in the -67 kg kumite (sparring) and is preparing to represent the United States at the upcoming Pan-American Championships in Punta Del Este, Uruguay. One of only two Californians on the team, Kraus will compete against elite athletes from the Western Hemisphere at the Pan American Karate Champion.

“Your biggest opponent is yourself,” said Kraus about the sport.

WKF sport karate is divided into two events: kata and kumite. Kata is a choreographed set of movements representing a self-defense situation judged by its technical and physical difficulty. Kumite, on the other hand, is a simulated fight between two athletes. Points are rewarded based on the technique and target hit, respectively. One point is awarded for any punch to a legal scoring area, two points are awarded for a kick to the body, and three points are awarded for a kick to the head or any strike to a downed opponent.

Karate hasn’t been easy for the 5’11” -67kg fighter. Kraus has practiced karate since age 8, studying with Chad Eagan at Martial Movement Academy. After winning three junior national titles and two bronze medals in the Junior Pan American Championships, the pandemic hit, and the Martial Movement Academy joined thousands of other small businesses in closing its doors.

Kraus said, “I suddenly had nobody to train with to having nowhere to train either.”

He was faced with training alone, with three mats in his room and a well-worn fight dummy affectionately named “Jake.” The long months of solo training only steeled Kraus’ resolve. In 2022, he held his own against Venezuela’s Olympian, Andres Madeira, at the US Karate Open.

“Even though I didn’t have any major accomplishments yet, I showed I could compete with the best,” said Kraus.

At the 2023 US Open the following year, Kraus faced Brazilian two-time World Medalist and current World Games Champion Vinicius Figueira, winning silver against the world-class fighter in a highly contested match. Later, in 2023, Adam became National Champion, beating fellow Southern Californian and childhood hero Brian Hilliard 8:0. Then this February at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Kraus became the number one seed for the -67 spot on the US Team.

While training and competing, Kraus earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology from CSUF. He currently works as a personal trainer at the Fullerton YMCA and teaches karate seven days a week at three different OC locations, including the Fullerton YMCA. Travel to competitions and training is costly; however, athletes receive very limited funding from Karate USA. Unlike elite athletes in many other sports, karate competitors represent their country at their own expense.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help Adam represent Team USA in the upcoming Pan American Championships in Punta Del Este, Uruguay.  Please visit: https://gofund.me/78e542db

Hi, my name is Adam Kraus, and I am a karate athlete currently ranked #1 in the country. I have been selected to represent the United States in the upcoming Pan American Championship in Punta Del Este, Uruguay. I will be competing in my weight category and as part of team fighting, where five competitors from one country go against five from another country. Not only has the Pan American Championship been a longtime goal since I was young, but it is extra special because if we finish in the top 3 for the team, we have the privilege of competing in the first-ever Team World Championships in Spain later this year. Additionally, athletes like me are also encouraged to compete in international events called Premier League or Series A to gain a world ranking high enough to qualify for the 2025 Individual World Championship