To gather the attention of the new generation, the IOC has decided to introduce something new, typically for urban sports. A new sport or exciting event has been added to the Olympic program, and that is called ‘breaking.’ But what is it? Currently, it is generating significant interest and attention. How does breaking work, and have any rules been tweaked for the Olympics? Let’s take a look to understand this sport, which will make its debut at the Paris Olympics 2024.
What is breaking
One of the four fundamental elements of hip-hop, alongside DJing, rapping, and graffiti, breaking emerged in the streets of New York in the 1970s. It gradually transitioned from the streets to the Olympic stage. In 2020, the International Olympic Committee added breaking to the 2024 Summer Olympic lineup, and it is now set to take place in two categories, men’s and women’s. The women’s competition will be held on August 9, and the men’s competition will take place on August 10.
One of the four fundamental elements of hip-hop, alongside DJing, rapping, and graffiti, breaking emerged in the streets of New York in the 1970s. It gradually transitioned from the streets to the Olympic stage. In 2020, the International Olympic Committee added breaking to the 2024 Summer Olympic lineup, and it is now set to take place in two categories: men’s and women’s. The women’s competition will be held on August 9, and the men’s competition will take place on August 10.
What are the breaking rules in the Olympics?
Better known as B-girls and B-boys, they will compete in one-on-one dance matchups. Each match consists of the best of three rounds, known as throwdowns. In each throwdown, each breaker has 60 seconds to complete their routine, with the goal of outperforming their opponent.
Format of breaking
Each set consists of 16 breakers, divided into four groups of four participants each, competing in a round-robin stage. Just like in any other tournament, each participant will face all the other breakers in their respective group in one-on-one battles. The two victorious breakers from each group will advance to the quarterfinal stage, and eight breakers will be seeded from 1 to 8. The lower seed will face the higher seed in one-on-one battles. A knockout format will begin and continue through the semifinals and final stages.
