The Summer Olympics have been in existence since 1896, and this year, four new sports have been added to the competition. These sports are breaking (making its Olympic debut), sport climbing, skateboarding, and surfing. Below, our expert team has provided everything you need to know about breaking as an Olympic sport ahead of Paris 2024.
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What is Breaking?
Breaking, more commonly known as breakdancing, has its origins in the Bronx, New York, in the 1970s as part of hip-hop culture. It is characterized by a combination of athletic moves, including spins, flips, and other complex techniques. International competitions for breaking began in the 1990s. The term "breaking" refers to the instrumental breaks in music, usually accompanied by beats.
What are the origins of Breaking?
The dance style of breaking originated in the South Bronx in the late 1970s. It was influenced by various sources, including the music of James Brown, the Brazilian martial art of capoeira, and the stepping traditions of Black fraternities and sororities in the US. DJ Cool Herc, a Jamaican American, is often credited with helping to develop the distinctive dance style when he started using two turntables to mix between two copies of the same record, creating an extended "break" for dancers to showcase their moves.
Where are the Olympics Breaking competitions?
The Olympic-breaking events will be held at La Concorde in Paris, 5 km (3.1 miles) from the Olympic and Paralympic Village.
How will the breaking competitions at the Olympics work?
Breaking will be divided into two separate competitions, one for b-girls and one for b-boys. There will be 16 b-girls and 16 b-boys competing in solo contests, improvising their steps based on the DJ's tracks. They will use power moves such as windmills, the 6-step, and freezes, as mentioned on the Olympics website.
How can I watch breaking at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
This year's men's and women's breaking events will take place on August 9 and 10 and can be watched on NBC and E! or streamed online via any of the platforms, including Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, or the NBC app.
Outright Odds for Men Breaking
All odds are courtesy of Bet365, are accurate at the time of publication, and are subject to modification.
| Breakers | Bet365 Odds |
| Victor Montalvo | 2.25 |
| Philip Kim | 3.25 |
| Shigeyuki Nakaral -Shigekix | 5.00 |
| Danis Civil - Dany Dann | 11.00 |
| Lee-Lou Diouf Demierre -Lee | 13.00 |
| Jeffrey Mike Louis- Jeffro | 17.00 |
| Xiangyu Qi - Lithe-ing | 17.00 |
| Amir Zakirov - Amir | 21.00 |
| Gaetan Rodriguez Alin - Lagaet | 26.00 |
| Menno Van Gorp - Menno | 26.00 |
| Hiroto Ono- Hiro10 | 26.00 |
| Kim Hong-Yul- Hong10 | 34.00 |
| Chen Sun - Quake | 67.00 |
| Jeffrey Dan Arpie Dunne - J Attack | 101.00 |
| Oleg Kuznietsov - Kuzya | 101.00 |
| Bilal Mallakh -Billy | 126.00 |
Outright Odds for Women Breaking
All odds are courtesy of Bet365, are accurate at the time of publication, and are subject to modification.
| Breakers | Bet365 Odds |
| Qingyi Liu - 671 | 3.75 |
| Ami Yuasa - Ami | 4.00 |
| Dominika Banevic - Nicka | 4.75 |
| Ayumi Fukshima - Ayumi | 5.50 |
| Sya Dembele - Syssy | 9.00 |
| India Sardjoe - India | 11.00 |
| Logan Elanna Edra - Logistx | 15.00 |
| Kateryna Pavlenko - Kate | 21.00 |
| Antilai Sandrini - Anti | 21.00 |
| Anna Ponomarenko - Stefani | 23.00 |
| Sunny Choi - Sunny | 29.00 |
| Vanessa Cartaxo Farinha - Vamessa | 51.00 |
