Olympic breakdancing: British breakers given support for Paris 2024
- Published
Sunni Brummitt, a multiple world champion and member of the Red Bull BC One All Stars, is among the British breakers hoping to compete at Paris 2024
British breakdancing has been given £135,000 of funding to help its athletes qualify for the event's Olympic debut at Paris 2024.
The funding, UK Sport's first formal support for breaking, will aid a group of seven breakers aiming to secure the four places on Team GB.
Breaking was confirmed as a new part of the Olympic programme in December 2020.
"We're stoked with the award of the UK Sport investment fund," Breaking GB president Oliver Whittle said.
Breaking blends artistry and athleticism with key elements including top rocks - typically a competitor's introductory dance moves - footwork, power moves and freezes.
"This is just the beginning of a journey of development and growth for our sport," added Whittle, who is known as 'Hooch'.
The announcement of the investment by UK Sport comes a few days before Manchester hosts the European Breaking Championships on 5 November.
Breaking is the latest freestyle sport to be introduced at the Olympics following the debut of BMX freestyle and skateboarding at Tokyo 2020.
Games organisers said they wanted to include sports in the programme which were popular with new and younger audiences.
"We saw the immense success of new freestyle sports in Tokyo, including skateboarding and BMX freestyle which captured the imagination of the public and produced some of the iconic sporting moments of the Games," Dr Kate Baker, director of performance at UK Sport, said.
"Breaking has the potential to produce similarly memorable moments in Paris."
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