Caption: 25-year-old Japanese Ami Yuasa became the first Olympic breaking champion in history.Article information
- Author, Editorial
- Role, BBC News World
-
August 9, 2024
A competition never seen before.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games were unique for several reasons, including its opening ceremony, which was held outside a stadium for the first time.
Another reason is that they are the first to include a breaking competition, also known as breakdancing.
The sport has its roots in the New York hip-hop scene of the 1970s.
Its name comes from the fact that it was during the breaks of a dance floor (the moment when most of the sounds disappear and only the rhythmic base of the music remains) that this style of dance was originally performed.
But this Friday in Paris, breaking music showed that it goes far beyond the United States.
In the women’s competition, Japan’s Ami Yuasa (B-girl Ami) was crowned Olympic champion. Lithuania and China completed the podium.
It was the result of a day in which a total of 17 contestants faced each other in one-on-one battles.
A panel of nine judges evaluated the participants’ movements and poses round by round according to criteria such as originality, technique, execution, musicality and variety.
The men’s and women’s competitions will take place on Saturday at the temporary venue built on Place de la Concorde called Parc Urbain, which also hosted the skateboarding and BMX Freestyle competitions.
Despite its inclusion in these games and its popularity among young viewers, breaking is not planned to be part of Los Angeles 2028.
We leave you with a gallery with the best images of this sport’s debut at the Olympics.
Caption, Along with the winner, 25-year-old Japanese Ami Yuasa, the podium was completed by 17-year-old Lithuanian Dominika Banevič and 18-year-old Chinese Liu Qingyi, better known as B-girl 671. Caption, B-girl Ami, as the Japanese contestant is known in breaking, defeated B-girl Nicka in all three rounds of the final. Caption, The competition was held in an open-air stadium on the Place de la Concorde in central Paris. Caption, During breaking competitions, athletes perform quick footwork, spins on the floor and poses in which they stand on one hand. Caption, American rapper Snoop Dogg was in charge of opening the competition. Caption, The Olympic Committee has recently included sports popular with the younger generations, such as surfing and volleyball, in the Olympic schedule. Skateboarding. Caption: IOC President Thomas Bach attended Friday’s competition. The men’s competition will take place on Saturday.
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