Key Points
- Isasama ang breakdancing bilang isang sport sa Paris Olympics.
- Dalawang Australyano na ang kwalipikadong kumatawan sa bansa.
- Ilan sa criteria for judging ay creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity at musicality.
Isang high school student at isang university lecturer ang lalaban bilang kauna-unahang Olympic breakers ng Australia.
Matapos manalo sa Oceania breaking championships noong nakaraang taon at makapasok sa Olympic berth, sina Jeff "J-Attack" Dunne at Rachael "Raygun" Gunn ay kabilang sa 16 na lalaki at 16 na babae na breakers mula sa iba't ibang panig ng mundo na magtutunggali sa Paris.
Sila ay opisyal na napili sa pambansang koponan at ngayon ay maghahanda upang sumali sa kilalang Place de la Concorde sa Paris ngayong Agosto.
Si Dunne, 16 na taong gulang, ay isinilang sa Pilipinas at inampon ng isang pamilyang Australyano noong siya ay sanggol. Siya ay kabilang sa mga pinakabatang atleta na kumakatawan sa bansa sa isang malaking internasyonal na multi-sport event.
"When I saw the scoreboard (at the Olympic qualifying event), I told myself I wouldn't cry," wika ni Dunne.
"Then I saw my family and my friends soaked in tears, so I just had to let my emotions go.
"I train hard, four to six hours every day, working on style, the way I move, working on routines and trying to upgrade my dynamic ability.
"It feels like so much hard work and dedication, trying to get better and showing who I am through dance, has paid off."
Kung si Dunne ay pitong taong gulang nang magsimula sa breakdancing, iba naman ang kwento ni Gunn.
Mid-20s na nagsimula si Gunn sa kanyang breakdancing career sa pamamagitan ng kanyang asawa. Ngayon ay malapit na siya sa edad na 37 at kasalukuyan siyang interdisciplinary and practice-based researcher ng Macquarie University.
"It's something I absolutely never thought would happen," kwento ni Gunn.
"My students initially think I'm joking and don't believe me, but once they realise I'm telling the truth, they get so excited and tell me they're going to be cheering for me."
Australian breakers Jeff Dunne aka "J-Attack" and Rachael Gunn aka "Raygun" pose for photographs ahead the AUSBreaking Battle Series in Redfern, Sydney, Saturday, February 24, 2024. Source: AAP / Dan Himbrechts
Ikinalugod ni Kaarle McCulloch, ang Deputy Chef de Mission ng Australian Olympic team ang pagkapili sa dalawa.
"It is a remarkable achievement to be named to an Olympic team, but to be the first in your sport to represent Australia at the Olympic level is a particularly special milestone," saad ni McCulloch.
"Both athletes are outstanding ambassadors for their sport and I look forward to Aussies getting to know breaking and supporting Jeff and Rachael in Paris."
Marami pang Australian breakers ang magkakaroon ng oportunidad na mag-qualify sa Paris sa pamamagitan ng Olympic qualifying series sa Shanghai at Budapest.
