India’s quest for gold at the Paris Olympics 2024 has come to an end after Neeraj Chopra had to settle for a silver in the javelin throw final. But, in a surprising twist, ‘India’ has made history in the sport of Breaking. The country’s name echoed through the arena, but, as the dust settled, a surprising revelation came to light. India, the country, did not field any athletes in Breaking at the 2024 Olympics. Instead, the B-girl ‘India’, who made headlines, is actually 18-year-old India Sardjoe from Hague, Netherlands.
B-girl India in the Paris Olympics
The Dutch athlete, competing under the stage name ‘India’, defeated refugee team member B-girl Talash in the opening match of the women’s Breaking event. She was then grouped with athletes from China, the United States and Portugal in Group A.
Unlike most b-girls and b-boys, India Sardjoe prefers using her real name as her stage name. She made history by becoming the first-ever winner of a breaking battle at the Olympics.
Ms India started playing football as a child before switching to hip-hop and later transitioned to breakdancing. At just 10 years old, she won the Dutch national championship in the Under 12 category. She then went on to become the Dutch, European and world champion in the span of just six months in 2022.
Now, the confusion surrounding India’s participation in breaking at the Paris Olympics has been put to rest, with the country actually fielding 117 athletes across various sports and bringing home six medals – five bronze and one silver. The participating countries in breaking at the Paris Olympics 2024 were Canada, Japan, France, Lithuania, China, and the United States.
Breaking is a high-energy dance style that started in the US in the 1970s. It grew out of hip-hop culture in the Bronx, New York, where block parties were all the rage. Breaking is known for its acrobatic moves, slick footwork and the important role of the DJ and MC in hyping up the crowd during battles. By the 1990s, breaking had spread globally, with international competitions that helped it gain popularity among hip-hop fans and beyond.
Breaking made its Olympic debut in Paris. The dance form was first introduced at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. Due to its success, it was added to the Paris 2024 Olympic program as a new sport.
Speaking to the Olympics committee earlier, Ms India said that she had already made history considering “it’s the first time Breaking is at the Olympics.” “It is such a highlight in the Breaking world.”
