The National Times - Canada's B-Boy Phil Wizard wins inaugural Olympic breaking gold

Phil Wizard, whose real name is Philip Kim, triumphed amid the opulent grandeur of the Place de la Concorde, with B-Boy Victor of the US taking bronze.

Breaking, better known as breakdancing, is making its first and possibly last appearance at the Olympics, having been left off the programme for Los Angeles 2028.

The competition saw 16 dancers, known as B-Boys, going head-to-head in a series of battles, starting with a pool stage before moving to a knock-out round.

The B-Boys showcased their phenomenal athleticism and creativity, wowing the crowd at one of Paris' most elegant public spaces.

Phil Wizard, a 27-year-old former world champion, had the crowd against him in the final against Dany Dann, a 36-year-old with blue hair whose real name is Danis Civil.

But the Canadian soon had them eating out of his hand thanks to his incredible routine, for which the judges awarded him a 3-0 victory.

Despite the spectacular moves on show, Phil Wizard said the panel of judges were looking for "something new every round".

"You may well think it's the most explosive, crazy dynamic movements that score the most points," he said.

"But in breaking there's a lot of different categories and the most important thing is originality and diversity of movement."

The B-Boys perform on a circular stage, accompanied by DJs pumping out hip-hop classics and MCs hyping up the crowd.

Breaking originated in the block parties held in the Bronx in New York in the 1970s.

B-Boy Victor, also known as Victor Montalvo, said the competition represented "the true essence of hip hop and breaking culture".

"We just want to make sure that we show everyone that it's a dance, first of all," said Victor, who beat Japan's Shigekix for the bronze medal.

"It's all about self-expression, it's all about originality. It's not just about big moves."

Japan's B-Girl Ami won the women's gold on Friday, beating Lithuania's B-Girl Nicka in the final.

T.Cunningham--TNT