Breaking at the Summer Olympics

Breaking at the Summer Olympics
IOC Code	BKG
Governing body	WDSF
Events	2 (men: 1; women: 1)
Summer Olympics
1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 2028
Medalists

The 2024 Summer Olympics introduced the sport of breaking (also called b-boying, b-girling or breakdancing) to the Summer Olympic program for the first time. There were two medal events, one each for men and women, with 16 "b-boys" and "b-girls" competing. Breaking was previously featured at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics. IOC President Thomas Bach stated that breakdancing was added as part of an effort to draw more interest from young people in the Olympics. The international organizing body is the World DanceSport Federation.

Inclusion

Breaking was introduced at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris as an optional (temporary) sport. Despite the United States being the home of breakdancing, the sport is set to not be included at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles; on its omittance in the latter, the IOC's sports director Kit McConnell stated that "It's up to each local organizing committee to determine which [additional] sports to put forward that fit with their vision of the Games. Obviously, breaking fit very clearly with Paris' vision of a very youth-focused urban engagement." World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), the sport's governing body, was cited as working toward ensuring breaking's inclusion at the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane.

Format

The competition begins with a round robin stage. The 16 breakers are split in four groups and dance against the others in their group for a minute each. The two best breakers from each group progress to the knockout stage, where breakers are eliminated from the competition after losing a one-on-one match.

Scoring

The winner is determined by a panel of judges, who score each performance based on five criteria each worth a fifth of the point maximum. The criteria are:

• Technique: The correct execution of moves, as well as athleticism, body control, dynamics, space control, form, lines and shape.
• Vocabulary: The number and variety of moves. A high score requires a diverse set of moves in multiple positions. Moves are grouped into toprock (dance elements executed while standing), downrock (spinning on the floor, combined with footwork, drops and transitions) and freeze (a stop in an acrobatic position).
• Execution: The clean performance of moves, and the distinction of moves from one another so that they flow, but not blend, into another.
• Musicality: How well the breaker reacts to and expresses the music, which is provided by a tournament staff DJ and not known to the breakers before the match.
• Originality: How the breaker "wows" the audience by making the dance their own.

All time medal table

Rank	NOC	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Canada	1	0	0	1
	Japan	1	0	0	1
3	France	0	1	0	1
	Lithuania	0	1	0	1
5	China	0	0	1	1
	United States	0	0	1	1
Totals (6 entries)		2	2	2	6

Medalists

B-Boys

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
2024 Paris	Philip Kim Phil Wizard  Canada	Danis Civil Dany Dann  France	Victor Montalvo Victor  United States

B-Girls

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
2024 Paris	Ami Yuasa Ami  Japan	Dominika Banevič Nicka  Lithuania	Liu Qingyi 671  China

External links

• Breaking at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games