SANTIAGO, Chile — Winning the first Pan American Games gold medal awarded in men's breaking meant a lot to Philip Kim, but the Olympic berth he also gained meant even more.
The 26-year-old from Vancouver, known as B-Boy Phil Wizard in break dancing circles, defeated Jeff Louis of the United States 3-0 in Saturday's final men's battle.
Breaking made its Pan Am Games debut in Santiago, Chile. The sport will also be an Olympic event for the first time in Paris next year, but isn't on the program for Los Angeles in 2028. "Going into the final, I'd already secured my spot, but it honestly gave me more of a push because it would have been bittersweet to secure my spot to Paris and then lose the battle," Kim said.Athletes don't know in advance the music they will perform to, but must express the music in their moves when they hear it through footwork, freezes, transitions, power moves, tricks and flips.
"Of course I want to win, but first and foremost, it's also about showing breaking to the world. That's why I want to go to the Olympics. I want more kids to be involved, more people to see this because this is what I spent my life doing."
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