LONDON (Reuters) – British breakers will be backed to the tune of 135,000 pounds ($155,722.50) by UK Sport in their quest to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024 when break dancing makes its Games debut.
Breaking GB, the body with responsibility for taking breakers to the Olympics, will use the funds to help around seven athletes on their qualification journey.
Breaking is the latest freestyle sport to be introduced at Olympics following the debut of BMX freestyle and skateboarding at the Tokyo Games.
“We’re stoked with the award of the UK Sport investment fund, to support our gifted B-Girls & B-Boys in their preparation towards Paris 2024,” Oliver ‘Hooch’ Whittle, President at Breaking GB, said in a statement.
“This is just the beginning of a journey of development and growth for our sport. The fact that Breaking will be taking its place alongside the other freestyle sports on the Place de la Concorde at the Olympic Games will be one of the most iconic moments in our history and will showcase Breaking at the very highest level to the world.”
Britain excelled in Tokyo in BMX freestyle with Charlotte Worthington winning gold in spectacular fashion and Declan Brooks taking a bronze.
Funding body UK Sport says the support for Breaking GB shows its commitment to a wider range of sports.
“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,” Kate Baker, Director of Performance at UK Sport, said.
“Breaking has the potential to produce similarly memorable moments in Paris.”
Manchester is hosting the 2022 World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) European Breaking Championships on Nov 5-6.
($1 = 0.8669 pounds)
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
