Victor Montalvo of Team USA secured a bronze medal in the debut of breaking at the Paris Olympics on Saturday, August 10. Montalvo triumphed over Japan’s Shigekix with a 3-0 victory in the battle for bronze at La Concorde, Paris.
Montalvo, 30, had initially topped Group A and defeated Amir of Kazakhstan 3-0 in the quarterfinals before losing to France’s Dany Dann in the semifinals. Canada’s Phil Wizard, real name Philip Kim, clinched the gold, while Dany Dann took home the silver.
The breaking competitions, held on August 9 and 10, featured 16 b-boys and 16 b-girls competing one-on-one. Judges scored the matches based on creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity, and musicality. The Olympic website explained that athletes used a combination of power moves, adapting their style to the DJ’s tracks to secure judges’ votes.
Sunny Choi, one of two Team USA b-girls, emphasized the importance of representing the sport’s roots. “I don’t know how often people are like, ‘You don’t have a choice. Like, you’ve got to bring it home for New York,’” she told CBS News. She added, “We try and pay respect to where we’re coming from, where this dance comes from.”
Montalvo, originally from Florida, shared his passion for breaking, stating he started at age 9 after being inspired by his cousin. “I just loved the music and the way it made me feel. I’m a super shy kid, so for me, it was perfect because you don’t need to talk to anyone. You just need the dance floor and yourself,” he told Team USA.
Team USA’s b-girls did not win any medals. Logistx, real name Logan Edra, and Sunny scored three and two wins respectively but did not advance to the quarterfinals. Japan’s Ami won gold and Lithuania’s Nicka took silver.
Logistx reflected on her experience, telling CBS News, “It was such a big opportunity, it’s such a big platform, and I’m really happy that we’re here.”
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