Breakdancing, as its fans call it, made a brief appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics before being dropped from the program of events at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. But despite a dramatic and high-energy contest, breaking’s fortunes hang in the balance after making its first and possibly last historic bow on the Olympic stage.
Memorable Showdowns and Medal Winners
The U.S.’ Victor Montalvo recorded perhaps one of the shortest performances in Olympic history to clinch bronze during this event. The intense battles that included B-boy Phil Wizard of Canada, who won gold, and France’s B-boy Dany Dann, who won silver, showcased breaking’s pizzazz and physicality and laid bare how fragile it is within Olympic structures.
(Photo : Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, in the women's category, Ami Yuasa defeated Lithuania's Dominika "Nicka" Banevic in the final, while China's Liu "671" Qingyi secured the bronze medal. But one B-Girl who caught the attention of Olympic fans is Australia's Raygun who showcased her unique moves.
Australia's Rachael “Raygun” Gunn Controversial Opening
Rachel "Raygun" Gun was one of those contentious figures in discussions. Macquarie's 36-year-old lecturer became central to controversies surrounding breaking competition. Some people felt her act was self-effacing, while others believed that it did not meet Olympic standards.
She received a lot of backlash on social media, especially when some people thought she looked more like what her critics called a daggy lawn bowls ensemble with kangaroo hops and sprinkler moves that happened over any shine of a great debut for breaking.
What is happening pic.twitter.com/7l9AILkWUF
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) August 9, 2024
READ ALSO: 'This is a hate crime': Internet loses it over Olympic breakdancing debut
No More Breaking in 2028 Olympics
Many obstacles were encountered while integrating this dance style into the Olympics. Although Paris agreed to have Breaking as one of its sports by 2019, tensions surrounded its rise within itself. Breaking started out in the 1970s when it captured oppressed children but later broke through internationally via the Youth Olympics held in Argentina four years ago. However, such a controversial move by the World DanceSport Federation, which sought to replace breaking for ballroom dances, brought conflict between the practitioners of breaking and made people question its credibility and interest.
While entertaining I find 30-40 olds “dissing” the 16-18’s very cringy… like mate your a 35 year old women getting in the face of someone half your age 😂🤣 #breaking #Olympic2024 #Paris2024 #BreakingForGold #breakingolympics
— Francesca (@MsIkkle) August 10, 2024
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has declined to include Breaking (also known as Breakdancing) in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This news is, therefore, a disappointment for the Breaking community, which was expected to carry over from the momentum of the Paris Olympics 2024, where Breaking will first appear.
The IOC stated that it had reservations about the sport's governance and lack of a single international governing body as reasons for this resolution. According to the Reddit Post in r/bboy, it can be guessed that perhaps controversies around the current ruling body such as World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) have played a role on IOC's decision as it has been accused of mismanagement and favoring some individuals.
This choice disappoints many members of the community who feel that it negates any progress made towards recognizing Breaking as an Olympic sport. The majority are urging for the establishment of a new separate controlling organ to manage everything about this game and hence guarantee its future integration into the Olympics.
Chances Yet Unknown, But Heritage Already Set
The International Olympic Committee intended to attract a younger audience by including break dancing in the games, thus making them more urban. Nevertheless, this sport will not be part of the 2028 Olympics, whose organizers went for flag football, cricket, and lacrosse instead. The future is unclear for such a sport as the Brisbane 2032 Olympics might see its comeback.
For athletes like Victor Montalvo, being an Olympian was an unforgettable experience.
"I feel like we did our job," Victor told USA Today. "Everyone loved it. The crowd was going crazy. It's OK. We're not in 2028, but honestly, I (am) the first ever bronze medalist for breaking. So, that's an amazing thing to say."
Notwithstanding controversies and critiques, Paris 2024 Games would remain unforgettable for some as it boasted intense energy and passion towards breaking regardless whether it would ever appear in future Olympia or not.
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