USWNT and US men’s basketball win gold in Paris
Mallory Swanson scored a goal in the 57th minute to lead the USWNT to gold, while Steph Curry and Co. defeated France on their home court to take the overall victory.
PARIS – Victor Montalvo became the first Olympic bronze medalist in men’s breakdancing history on Saturday night.
He knows he could also be the last.
The breakdancing competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics had been years in the making and was over in about 30 hours this weekend, creating excitement and tension just before the Games ended. And for breakers like Montalvo, who competes as B-Boy Victor, it definitely felt different – a little more intense and just more special. It felt like the kind of moment that, realistically, may never happen again at the Summer Olympics.
“It’s just a victory for all of us,” said Victor. “I’m just so happy for the breakdance and hip hop culture. We were represented and everyone was excited.”
Even in a sport that borders on art, where friendships and personal disputes form the backdrop to every fight, it felt like all 16 competitors were working together Saturday night, Victor said. Olympic medals and bragging rights were at stake, maybe even endorsement deals and future financial opportunities. But their shared goal, Victor and other breakers said, was simply to put on a show.
It was telling that at the end of the gold medal match, B-Boy Phil Wizard of Canada and B-Boy Dany Dann of France hugged and walked toward the crowd, smiling. Phil Wizard, whose real name is Philip Kim, was soon introduced as the man who had won gold. And Dany Dann, aka Danis Civil, took silver. But for both of them, it was all about being there.
“For us, this is the only thing that exists right now,” said Phil Wizard. “To be a part of history is really incredible.”
The International Olympic Committee included breaking, better known as breakdancing, in the sports program in Paris because President Thomas Bach and his colleagues thought it would attract the younger, social media-savvy audience they were looking for. It also fit with the local organizers’ overall goal of making the Olympics more “urban.”
But from the beginning, breaking was seen as a novelty rather than a new sport with lasting character.
A sport is not considered an official, permanent part of the Olympic program until it appears in three consecutive Games. That is not the case with breaking. Organizers of the next Summer Games, in 2028 in Los Angeles, had the opportunity to propose new sports they wanted to include and chose flag football, cricket and lacrosse over breaking – despite the dance’s long history in the United States, including the fact that its birthplace is the Bronx.
The breakers competing on Saturday night were well aware of this. The sport is unlikely to return to the Olympic stage at the 2032 Games in Brisbane or beyond.
“I think we did our job,” Victor said. “Everyone was excited. The crowd went crazy. It’s OK. It’s not 2028, but honestly, I’m the first bronze medalist ever in breaking. So that’s a great thing.”
Victor was first introduced to breakdancing by his father Victor Sr. and his uncle Hector Bermudez, both former B-boys. When Victor Sr. told his son that he used to breakdance and Victor Jr. didn’t believe him, the elder Victor got out his old equipment, moved some furniture around in the living room and started doing head spins and windmills. Six years later, Victor Jr. started competing in breakdancing competitions.
As he rose up the ranks, from breakdancing at local cyphers to Red Bull’s annual BC One event, Victor developed into one of the best athletes in the world, even winning two of the last three world championships. But the 30-year-old from Kissimmee, Florida, didn’t seriously consider breakdancing becoming an Olympic event until it actually became one. Everything he experienced in Paris – the crowd at La Concorde, the awards ceremony, the medal – was unexpected, which is perhaps why he didn’t seem the least bit fazed by not winning a gold medal.
“I didn’t win gold, but I won bronze,” Victor said. “And we all represented hip-hop culture. Every competitor that was there represented hip-hop and breaking.”
“Hopefully a younger generation, more of the younger generation, will start dancing and become interested in breakdancing. Because it’s incredible: you don’t need much to do it, you know? You need a dance floor, self-expression and that’s all.”
There was plenty of bombast and boasting on stage Saturday night during the fights, which consisted of either two or three rounds and were judged by a panel of nine judges. But in the brief moments after each fight, all of that melted away. Phil Wizard spoke at length about how, despite his new Olympic gold medal, he doesn’t consider himself the best in the world.
“I can lose to anyone out there next week in another competition,” Phil Wizard said. “It’s honestly just a big game of rock-paper-scissors – especially at this level.”
But now the 27-year-old from Vancouver will go down in history – just like Dany Dann and Victor and everyone else who took part in the competition, experienced it or even watched it on TV. It may be that something like this will never happen again.
“You will never forget this day!”, one of the weekend’s presenters, Max Oliveira, reminded viewers on Friday night during the women’s competition. “To break at the Olympics is just incredible!”
As the gold medal match approached, Oliveira ratcheted up the tension even further, announcing into the microphone that he never wanted the day to end. “Never!” he said. “We want it to be endless!”
But unfortunately it’s over. And the Olympics will probably be over soon. Regardless of the TV ratings or the criticism on social media, the sport will probably only be contested once at the Summer Games. But at least it has caused a stir.
Contributors: Chris Bumbaca
Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on social media @Tom_Schad.
