First-Ever Olympic Breaking Champion Crowned: Who Took Home Gold?

B-girls stunned the crowd with power moves like headspins, windmills and backflips.

PARIS, France — Japan’s b-girl Ami clinched gold at the Olympics’ first breaking event on Friday, outperforming 16 other dancers in a vigorous competition held at Place de la Concorde stadium.

Ami, legally named Ami Yuasa, dominated all three rounds against b-girl Nicka (Dominika Banevič) from Lithuania to secure the top spot. This high-energy event showcased a blend of flow, rhythm, and acrobatics.

The crowd was dazzled by astonishing power moves. Headspins, windmills, and backflips were performed as spectators maintained their fervor from afternoon until night, ending just before 10 p.m.

Starting from the quarterfinals, eight b-girls narrowed down to the final two through intense knockout battles. Banevič secured the silver, while China’s b-girl 671 (Liu Qingyi) captured bronze after a duel with b-girl India (India Sardjo) from the Netherlands to “Boom!” by The Roots. Liu is a newcomer in the breaking scene.

“Now a lot of people outside the breaking scene have seen it and it will only grow from here,” b-girl India commented.

American disappointment was palpable. Both U.S. competitors, b-girl Logistx (Logan Edra) and b-girl Sunny (Sunny Choi), failed to advance past the first round. This was a letdown for a country that is the birthplace of hip-hop and breaking culture.

“I feel like I still shined and represented the dance,” Logistx said. “It was a big opportunity on a significant platform, and I’m really happy we were here.”

The event marked breaking’s Olympic debut, judged by nine experts using the Trivium system—evaluating technique, vocabulary, execution, musicality, and originality. Each criterion accounted for 20% of the final score.

B-girls started their routines with “toprocking” before moving into complex footwork. DJs provided a surprise soundtrack for each performance, spinning records behind the judges.

Judges, seated between a record-shaped dance floor and a massive boombox, used a sliding scale for qualitative evaluation. Two emcees enhanced the atmosphere by engaging with the breakers’ unique styles and signature moves.

The challenge was to introduce breaking and hip-hop culture to a mass audience, some of whom were skeptical about the sport’s inclusion in the Olympics. Nevertheless, the event showcased undeniable athleticism and physicality.

In all, 33 breakers from 15 countries and the Refugee Olympic Team made history. B-boys are set to take the stage next. The discipline’s future in the Olympics remains uncertain as it is not slated for Los Angeles 2028.

American rapper Snoop Dogg made a grand entrance, energizing the crowd with “Drop it Like it’s Hot.” The emcees introduced the 17 competing b-girls, with France and U.S. participants receiving the loudest applause.

Associated Press Race & Ethnicity Editor Aaron Morrison contributed to this report from New York.