Why did Hiro10 lose against Victor despite executing power moves at Paris Olympics? Breaking scoring system explained

By Janhavi Shinde

Modified Aug 11, 2024 10:59 GMT

Breaking made its debut at the most glorious sporting event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. While Canada's Phil Wizard clinched a gold medal in the b-boy category, France's Dany Dann and USA's Victor Montalvo secured the silver and bronze medals, respectively.

The breakers are scored based on five categories, each making up to 20% of the total score. These five factors include musicality, vocabulary, originality, technique, and execution. While the musicality factor judges the b-boy's or b-girl's ability to sync the movements with the beats of the music, the vocabulary factors include the variation and the quantity of the moves, avoiding repetition.

While Japan's Hiro 10 surpassed America's Montalvo in the technical aspect in all three rounds by showcasing a few power moves and endless windmills and headspins, he lacked in the other aspects of the sport.

In round one of the event at the Paris Olympics, B-boy Victor dominated the originality factor (ability to improvise) and won with 9-0 votes. The American B-boy appeared to score more points in vocabulary, musicality, and execution as well.

B-boy Victor dominated all three rounds in Battle 31 for the bronze medal match at the La Concorde 1 with 9-0, 5-4, and 6-3. Canada's Wizard secured the gold medal after gaining a decisive lead in the three rounds with 5-4, 9-0, 9-0.

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Breaking will not be included in the 2028 Olympics after making its debut at the Paris Olympics

Victor Montalvo of the United States during the B-Boys Round Robin Battles at the Paris Olympics 2024 at Place de la Concorde in Paris, France. (Photo by Getty Images)

Breaking or "break dancing" made its debut at the Games during the 2024 Paris Games. Originating from the Bronx, New York in the 1970s, it emerged from hip-hop culture and was included in International competitions from the 1990s.

However, organizers for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games have not included breaking in their editions and rather went with football, cricket, lacrosse, and squash. For a sport to be included in the core discipline, it has to be featured in three editions of the Games.

With breaking omitted from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the country where the dance was born, it is extremely unlikely to witness the sport in the 2032 Brisbane Games or any future editions. Japan's Ami Yuasa, Lithuania's Dominika Banevic, and China's Liu Qingyi secured the top three places in the respective order in the b-girls event at the 2024 Paris Games.