PARIS — Victor Montalvo became the first Olympic bronze medalist in the history of men’s breaking Saturday night.
He knows he might also be the last.
The breaking competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics was years in the making and over in about 30 hours, bringing a brief flash of excitement and intrigue right at the end of the Games. And for breakers like Montalvo, who competes as B-boy Victor, it definitely felt different than other competitions − a bit more intense, and just more special. It felt like the sort of moment that, realistically, the Summer Olympics might never see again.
‘It’s just a win for all of us,’ Victor said. ‘I’m just super happy for breaking and hip-hop culture. We represented, and everyone loved it.’
In a sport that borders on art, where friendships and personal beef serve as the backdrop to every battle, Victor said it felt Saturday night like all 16 men in the competition were working together.
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There were Olympic medals at stake, and bragging rights, and maybe even endorsement deals and future financial opportunities. But it was telling that, at the end of the gold medal battle, B-boy Phil Wizard of Canada and B-boy Dany Dann of France put their arms around one another and walked toward the crowd with smiles on their faces.
Phil Wizard, whose legal name is Philip Kim, was soon introduced as the man who won gold. And Dany Dann, aka Danis Civil, took silver. But for both, it was mostly just about being there.
‘For us, as of now, this is the one and only,’ Phil Wizard said. ‘So to be a part of history is truly incredible.’
The International Olympic Committee added breaking, more commonly known as breakdancing, to the sports program in Paris because president Thomas Bach and his colleagues thought it would attract the younger, social-media savvy viewers that they were seeking. It also fit in with local organizers’ broader goal of a more ‘urban’ Olympic Games.
But even from the start, breaking was viewed as more of a novelty than a new sport with staying power.
A sport is usually not considered a ‘core’ part of the Olympic program until it is part of at least three consecutive Games, which breaking will not be. Organizers for the next Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 had the ability to propose new sports they wanted to include in their Games and opted for flag football, cricket, lacrosse and squash over breaking − despite the dance’s deep history in the United States, specifically the Bronx.
The breakers who competed Saturday night were well aware of this. It is unlikely that the sport is brought back to the Olympic stage, either at the 2032 Brisbane Games or beyond.
‘I feel like we did our job,’ Victor said. ‘Everyone loved it. The crowd was going crazy. It’s OK. We’re not in 2028, but honestly, I (am) the first ever bronze medalist for breaking. So, that’s an amazing thing to say.’
Victor was first introduced to breaking by his father Victor Sr. and uncle Hector Bermudez, both of whom are former B-boys. When Victor Sr. told his son that he used to break, and Victor Jr. didn’t believe him, the elder Victor got out his old gear, moved some furniture around in the living room and started doing headspins and windmills. Eight years later, Victor Jr. started breaking competitively.
As he moved up the ranks, from breaking at local cyphers to Red Bull’s annual BC One event, Victor emerged as one of the best in the world at his craft, even winning two of the past three world championships. But the 30-year-old from Kissimmee, Florida, didn’t seriously consider the possibility that breaking would be an Olympic sport until it actually was one. Everything he’s experienced in Paris − the crowd at Place de la Concorde, the podium ceremony, the medal − was unexpected, which is maybe why he didn’t seem the least bit fazed by not winning gold.
‘I didn’t get the gold, but I got the bronze,’ Victor said. ‘And we all represented hip-hop culture. Every competitor that was in there represented hip-hop and breaking.
‘Hopefully a younger generation, more of the younger generation, starts dancing and gets into breaking. Because it’s amazing: You don’t need much for it, you know? You need a dance floor, self-expression and that’s about it.’
On the stage Saturday night, there was plenty of bombast and braggadocio throughout the battles, which consisted of either two or three rounds and were critiqued by a panel of nine judges. But in the little moments after each battle, all of that melted away.
Phil Wizard went out of his way to talk about how, despite his new Olympic gold medal, he doesn’t consider himself to be the best in the world.
“I can lose next week at another competition to anybody out there,’ Phil Wizard said. ‘It’s honestly just a big game of rock, paper, scissors – especially at this level.’
Now, though, the 27-year-old from Vancouver will go down in history − just like Dany Dann and Victor and everyone who participated in the competition, or witnessed it, or even watched it on TV. It might not happen again.
‘You will not forget this day!’ one of the weekend’s emcees, Max Oliveira, reminded the crowd Friday night during the women’s competition. ‘Breaking at the Olympics, it’s just incredible!’
As the gold-medal bout neared, Oliveira ratcheted up the excitement even further, proclaiming into the microphone that he never wanted the day to end. ‘Ever!’ he said. ‘We want it to be infinite!’
But alas, it did end. And Olympic breaking is probably not far behind. No matter the television ratings or social-media reviews, the sport will probably be one-and-done at the Summer Games. But at least it made a splash.
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @Tom_Schad.
