Team USA wants a gold medal in breaking at the 2024 Olympics "to put some of that shine back onto the community"

Sunny Choi has a mission from her fellow New Yorkers:Bring a gold medal back to the city where her sport was born.

 

"I can not tell you how many times I have heard, 'You don't have a choice—you have to bring it home for New York,'" said the 35-year-old breaker, who was born in Tennessee but now calls Queens home.

Choi is one of 4 b-boys and b-girls representing Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics where breakdancing is making its debut. At a press conference on Tuesday all 4 expressed pride in representing the birthplace of their sport on the world stage.

"[We] try to pay respect to where we are coming from, where this dance comes from, & we want to shine a light on that community as we step onto this big stage," Choi said.

Though the sport traces its roots to 1960s New York, international competitions began in the 1990s & breaking was featured in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Now in 2024, it has reached its biggest stage yet.

"We're going to have all eyes on us, so I just want to make sure everyone understands what this dance and hip hop are all about—peace, unity, and having fun," said fellow Team USA breaker Viktor Montalvo.

During the competition at Place de la Concorde, a DJ will spin music that the breakers won't know in advance, creating a lively atmosphere.

"It's going to feel like a party," said breaker Jeffrey Louis, "with the DJ setting the vibe, the dancers bringing the energy, and the crowd fueling the excitement."

As Montalvo put it, "We've already made history, so why not enjoy it?"

BreakingSchedule and Results

The women's competition began at 10 a.m. ET on Friday, with the final battle taking place at 3:23 p.m. ET. The men's events followed the same schedule on Saturday.

Over five hours, 16 breakers competed in one-minute battles, scored by judges on musicality, vocabulary, originality, technique, and execution. The top two from each group advanced to the quarterfinals and semifinals, with the best-of-three medal round deciding the gold medalist.

Unfortunately, the U.S. women did not advance to the medal rounds after the round-robin stage. Logistx secured three wins but fell short of making the top two spots needed for the quarterfinals. Choi managed two wins.