On August 9th, Chinese breakdancing athlete Liu Qingyi, or otherwise known as B-Girl 671, secured the bronze medal in the Olympics after a 2-1 victory over B-Girl India from the Netherlands. The two previously competed against each other during the round robin stage of the Olympic Women’s Breaking competition, where B-Girl India claimed victory. Liu, however, quickly recovered during the quarterfinals, scoring 3-0 against Ukraine’s B-Girl Kate. Despite her unfortunate loss in the semifinals against Lithuania’s B-Girl Nicka, Liu expressed that she was glad to have found her own pace in the bronze medal match.

Liu, 18 years old, was the gold medalist in Breakdancing at last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games. Looking back on her path to her first Olympics, Liu commented that through getting ready for the Games, she gained “a deeper understanding of hip hop and gradually developed my style.” Despite missing the final, Liu still feels proud that she was able to adjust quickly after the semifinal and get into the zone for the third-place battle.

Breakdancing was first featured in an International Olympic Committee-linked event at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, and since then the street dance has attracted increasing attention as a competitive sport. In China, breakdancing has also been on the rise. When asked about the sport’s growing popularity in the country, Liu Qingyi stated she believes its inclusion in both the Asian and Olympic Games are essential for this success. From the Hangzhou Asian Games last year to the Grand Masters Festival in Aranya this July, a growing number of professionals and rookies are competing in the sport across the country. Although breaking is currently unlikely to be featured in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, it is certain that more and more young, talented B-Boys and B-Girls will be getting in on the action in China.

Banner image via HK01.