Winning the first Pan American Games gold medal awarded in menB次元官网网址檚 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 (B-Boy Jeffro) Louis of the United States 3-0 in SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 final menB次元官网网址檚 battle.

B次元官网网址淗onestly, the Olympic place means more to me. I want to be there. I want to be part of history,B次元官网网址� Kim said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 relieved more than anything.

B次元官网网址淚n the last year I can say itB次元官网网址檚 been a roller-coaster ride, but IB次元官网网址檝e grown so much as a person as well as an artist and an athlete because of the process weB次元官网网址檝e had to go through. ItB次元官网网址檚 pushed me in ways that IB次元官网网址檝e never been pushed before and IB次元官网网址檓 very grateful for that.B次元官网网址�

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 isnB次元官网网址檛 on the program for Los Angeles in 2028.

Kim won the 2022 menB次元官网网址檚 world breaking championship. He placed second this year when he was beaten in the final battle by Victor Montalvo of the United States for both the world title and Olympic qualification.

Kim said he just needed to make SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 final in Santiago to get a Paris berth because two U.S. men couldnB次元官网网址檛 get direct Olympic quotas in breaking.

B次元官网网址淕oing into the final, IB次元官网网址檇 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,B次元官网网址� Kim said.

Breakers are scored on musicality, vocabulary, originality, technique and execution.

Athletes donB次元官网网址檛 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.

Before travelling to Chile, Kim finished second to South KoreaB次元官网网址檚 Kim Hong-Yul (Hong 10) at Red BullB次元官网网址檚 world final at Roland-Garros in Paris.

Kim didnB次元官网网址檛 did lose a battle in Santiago en route to the title, however.

Dressed in white with a red tuque on his head, Kim earned a score of 8-1 from the judges on his first throw down and scored 6-3, 6-3 in the next two against Louis on Saturday.

B次元官网网址淭he way I approach breaking has always been originality and creativity first because thatB次元官网网址檚 just what I enjoy doing,B次元官网网址� Kim said. B次元官网网址淚 like to create new movement. I like to showcase something new and I think I presented that today as well.

B次元官网网址淥f course I want to win, but first and foremost, itB次元官网网址檚 also about showing breaking to the world. ThatB次元官网网址檚 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.B次元官网网址�

The nine international judges, who go by single names such as Katsu, Bojin, Kid Glyde and Kujo, warmed up the crowd with their own breaking session before their introductions.

The packed Chimkowe Cultural Center was bedlam after the menB次元官网网址檚 bronze-medal battle won by ChileB次元官网网址檚 Matias (B-Boy Matita) Martinez.

Breaking in an international multi-sport Games for the first time felt novel to Kim.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 definitely a different experience being in a village surrounded by high-performing people, like it was a lot of fun for me,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ou get to meet a lot of different athletes, you get to see people training a little bit, you get to see what peopleB次元官网网址檚 daily routines are, you get to connect with different people.B次元官网网址�

Kim injured his neck warming up for FridayB次元官网网址檚 preliminary round and said he barely slept the night before SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 elimination battles.

B次元官网网址淩ight away Team Canada gave me a therapist,B次元官网网址� Kim said. B次元官网网址�(They) helped me through yesterday and today.B次元官网网址�

TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Tiffany (B-Girl Tiff) Leung lost her bronze-medal battle 3-0 to Vicki (B-Girl La Vix) Chang of the United States.

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