How 'breaking' became an Olympic sport

With over 300 medals secured and a few days left until the Paris Olympics draws to a close, the buzz remains to be at an all-time high with a new sports debut.

On Friday (9 August), breakdancing will be performed at the Parc Urbain with the B-Girls Pre-Qualifier Battle taking place first.

Professionally known as 'breaking', the sport is an ode to dancing which originally happened in between the breaks of a DJ track.

The history of breaking

Breaking dates back to the seventies in New York as a form of dance performed at block parties.

Fast forward ten years later, breaking became mainstream with dance groups such as the New York City Breakers and Rock Steady Crew.

It has since received worldwide recognition with crews across the globe.

"The sport’s techniques include standing footwork known as top rock, and floor movements known as down rock," the official Paris Olympics website explained. "In Breaking, there are also tricks allowed. These are known as the power moves (twists and spins) and the freeze. You probably know the popular 'baby freeze'. Similarly, all freeze movements in Breaking are when breakers freeze in poses while using their heads or hands for support."

Why has it become an Olympic sport?

Or rather, why not?

It makes sense given the International Olympic Committee is committed to including sports that are popular and cater to all age groups.

It was first introduced at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Argentina and was later added to the Olympic programme in December 2021. That said, it is not scheduled to be included at the LA Olympics in 2028.

Skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing have also been added to the prestigious games in recent years.

How can I watch breaking at the Paris Olympics?

A total of 32 competitors will take part in breaking across Friday 9 and Saturday 10. The full schedule can be found here.

In the UK, people can watch live on BBC and iPlayer as well Eurosport.

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