Breakdancing to Make Olympic Debut at Paris 2024 Games

Breakdancing, also known as breaking, is set to make its debut as an Olympic sport at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, France. The inclusion of breaking marks a significant milestone for the sport, which has gained increasing popularity and recognition in recent years.

Victor Montalvo, the reigning 2023 World Champion in Breaking, is ready to showcase his skills on the Olympic stage. Montalvo, who is currently the highest-ranked American male breaker in the world, was introduced to the sport by his father and uncle, considered "breaking pioneers" in Mexico.

The Olympic breaking competition will feature 16 male and 16 female competitors, who will face off in head-to-head battles and perform to randomized DJ-chosen backing tracks. Judges will score the performances based on five key elements: musicality, vocabulary, originality, technique, and execution.

Breaking will join three other recently-introduced sports - climbing, BMX, and skateboarding - at the Paris Olympics. However, the surfing competition will take place in Tahiti, far from the French capital.

Why this matters: The inclusion of breaking in the Olympic program reflects the International Olympic Committee's efforts to attract younger audiences and showcase a diverse range of sports. As breaking makes its Olympic debut, it has the potential to inspire a new generation of athletes and further popularize the sport worldwide.

Montalvo, who enjoys activities like cycling, boxing, and fitness when he's not dancing, believes that breaking is an art form that can captivate audiences. He is excited to prove that breakdancers can be considered athletes and hopes to challenge the perception that breaking is not an athletic discipline.

The Paris 2024 Olympics promises to also feature a new format for the opening ceremony, with national delegations traveling 6 kilometers down the Seine River before disembarking at the Eiffel Tower. The Games are expected to see strong performances from athletes like Tom Dean, Keely Hodgkinson, and Tom Daley of Team GB, while the international narrative will be dominated by the return of Simone Biles and French judo heavyweight Teddy Riner.

Key Takeaways

• Breakdancing to debut as Olympic sport at 2024 Paris Games.
• Victor Montalvo, 2023 World Champion, to represent USA in breaking.
• Olympic breaking competition to feature 16 male and 16 female competitors.
• Breaking joins climbing, BMX, and skateboarding as new Olympic sports.
• Paris 2024 Olympics to feature new format for opening ceremony.