World's top breakers compete in Rio
Rio de Janeiro starts hosting today (Apr. 14) one of the most significant competitions of the world breaking circuit, which will make its Olympic debut in the 2024 Paris Games.
For the first time the Breaking for Gold Series—a stage of the international circuit—will bring together the world's best in Latin America. 300 B-Boys and B-Girls, as the breaking athletes are called, will participate in the event. They perform a type of street dance including jumps, spins, and acrobatics, to the sound of various musical rhythms like hip-hop, funk, soul, and jazz, among others. The event runs until Saturday (15).
The World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF) is the organizer of the event. This is one of the competitions, in which it is possible to win the highest number of points for the world ranking, set to conclude by the end of the year. The top 14 B-Boys and B-Girls in each gender (male and female) will advance to the Olympic qualifying competition in 2024. Besides Brazilians, the event brings together athletes from the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, China, France, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Spain, Kazakhstan, and Colombia.
The Breaking for Gold Series in Rio boasts a lineup of impressive world-class breakdancers. Among them are Canadian Phil Wizard, who won the world championship last year, and Kazakh B-Boy Amir, who emerged victorious in the first stage of the circuit held in Kitakyushu, Japan back in February. In the women's competition, the top contenders for the title include B-Girl India from the Netherlands—European champion, as well as two great Japanese rivals, B-Girl 671, who currently holds the second spot in the rankings, and B-Girl Ami.
“The World Cup and the Continental games offer direct qualification to Paris 2024 and are the most important championships for B-Boys and B-Girls hoping to make it to the Olympics, followed by the World Series. Brazil is set to host one of these events. We feel privileged to host such a prestigious competition and to be able to welcome athletes from around the world who pursue their Olympic dreams, and we look forward to cheering on our Team Brazil,” said José Bispo de Assis, the breaking technical director of the National Dance Sport Council (CNDD).
Brazil will be represented by six athletes (male and female), aged between 19 and 35, fighting for the title in Rio. Among the B-Boys are Luan San (Brazilian champion), Leony, and Rato EVN. In the female contest, the Brazilian team includes Nathana, Mini Japa, and Toquinha.
"For me, being a part of this championship is extremely significant because I am not only representing my community, but also my country, Brazil. This is a valuable opportunity for me to showcase the results of my training. I am determined to earn the necessary points to qualify for the 2024 qualifying rounds,” said B-Girl Toquinha.
