Asia
Breaking to debut at Hangzhou’s Asian Games with high stakes
Gold medalists automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics
The Asian Games got off to a magnificent start on Saturday in Hangzhou, China with the Opening Ceremonies attended by many foreign dignitaries as well as China’s president Xi Jinping. Themed Tides of Asia, the ceremony used a lot of water metaphors for Asian athletes pushing forward like a wave on the world.
Athletes from 45 countries will compete in many sports, but Breakdancing is newly added and has big ramifications for all dancers. Any athlete who wins a gold medal in the men’s or women’s Breakdancing category, which will be held at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium on October 6 and 7, will automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, which only has 32 slots from around the globe. What this means is that the gold medalists will know 10 months out that they will be competing for the world’s first Breakdancing medal instead of still trying to qualify, which will be a huge advantage.
B-boy Quake Chen, Taiwan’s number one B-boy and number 16 in the world [and two-time BC One Taiwan champion], has his sights set on winning the gold at the Asian Games. “It’s a bit like debating through body language. It’s important you command attention from the audience,” Quake told TaiwanPlus.
Check out TaiwanPlus’ report on Breakdancing at the Asian Games.