After the official approval of breaking for the next Pan American Games, making its debut in the maximum continental multi-sport event, the enthusiasm of the fans is increasing, especially considering that at Santiago 2023 the audience will see the first Olympic breakers in history.
This was confirmed by the technical delegate of this discipline, the Portuguese Max Oliveira, who was in the country coordinating technical and operational details of this discipline, which will take place at the Chimkowe Gym (meaning 'meeting point', as the slogan of the Games), in the district of Peñalolén.
“For Paris 2024 there will be two quotas: a b-boy and a b-girl and world sports history will be made here in Chile. It will be something eternal and they will have the privilege, the honor of being the first ever to qualify. If this sport continues to grow as it is, there is a serious chance of remaining as a definitive Olympic event”, he stated.
Oliveira, known as 'Max Momentum' in the world of street dance, has a prolific career as a dancer with his crew with ten European and seven world titles. "At the age of 18 I learned about breaking, although I had already been dancing since I was a child. It was by chance in Madrid, Spain, while I was studying Business Management and Administration. There I fell in love with this discipline to this day," he recalled.
THE ROAD TO SANTIAGO 2023
For the Pan American Games there will be a quota of 32 athletes: 16 men and 16 women, who will qualify through two options. The first will be the Pan American of this discipline, to be held during the first semester next year, probably also in Santiago, which will award four slots for each gender. And the rest will obtain their pass according to the ranking of the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF), which is represented in Chile by the National Federation of Sports Dance.
Regarding the strongest countries on the continent, Oliveira commented that "it is very balanced, because the countries only bring one or two representatives and they can be at the same level, but there are countries like the United States, Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia, which prevail for having not only quantity, but also quality”.
"A SPORT OF THE CURRENT CENTURY"
"I think that breaking was never imagined as a culture and among practitioners to be at an Olympic level. We talked about it, maybe we dreamed about it, but it was natural and not by imposition", stresses the still b-boy, who talks about the rise of this sport around the world. In addition to the Americas, it is popular in Europe and Asia, with Japan and South Korea being great exponents.
“It is a sport of the current century, with 50 years of existence and it is a contemporary language that the new generations like, who will be the parents of the future generations. Since it naturally attracts so many people, it conquered the world of sport like it also has its place in the world of theaters”, he pointed out.
Breaking consists of "battles" between dancers or breakers, with routines ranging from 30 to 60 seconds long, which are evaluated by a jury of experts based on technique, creativity, and the way they dance. "To attract people, you have to understand what you see and these three components are going to allow the person to make their own evaluation," concluded Oliveira.
SUMMARY
Sport: Breaking
Venue: Chimkowe Gym, Peñalolén
Quota: 32 athletes, 16 b-boys and 16 b-girls.
How do they qualify for Santiago 2023?: Pan American Championship 2023 (8) and WDSF ranking (24).
Road to Paris 2024: Gold medalists in each gender qualify for the Olympic Games.
History in Pan American Games: Debut sport along with climbing and skateboarding.
