B-Boy Phil Wizard: “I never thought I would be here”
The Pan American breaking champion spoke to Olympics.com after obtaining his Paris 2024 quota about how his younger self would never have believed the life he leads today.
Breaking
With a style unlike any other breakers on the floor, B-Boy Phil Wizard is writing breaking history.
The 26-year-old became the first Canadian breaker to ever secure an Olympic quota with his continental title at the 2023 Pan American Games and he will be one of the biggest faces to watch at Paris 2024.
The Toronto native swept the competition in Chile in November, as the judges heavily favoured his unique style and explosive power moves.
After stepping down from the top of the first ever breaking podium at the Pan American Games, Phil spoke to Olympics.com about breaking as an Olympic sport, his Paris quota, and how his younger self would never have believed his current life path.
“I’m very proud, to be completely honest. I never thought I would be here in my life. I never thought I’d be doing something like this, so I’m just proud and very, very happy.”
The win came after he faced off against long-time friend and competitor B-Boy Jeffro in the final round in Santiago. A full house watched the final, the stadium rocking from the excitement of the crowd and the blaring hip hop music.
Like many other breakers, B-Boy Phil Wizard has had an unconventional road to his Olympic dreams, but as he gears up for Paris, the only thing on his mind is landing on breaking’s first ever Olympic podium.
* As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
* Click here to see the official qualification system for each sport.
Phil Wizard on Breaking making its Olympic debut in Paris
“This is history in the making,” Phil told Olympics.com when speaking about the induction of breaking into the Olympic Games.
Breaking - also known as breakdancing - originated in New York in the 1970s, where it quickly gained global popularity. Fifty years on, and the top 16 B-Boy and B-Girls will take centre stage at the Olympic Games to show the world what their sport is all about.
Without the recognition and monetary incentives that many other professional athletes receive, the addition of the sport into the Olympic Games has been life changing for many of the world’s best breakers.
“I’ve been living my dream for the past few years. I’ve been living off of this dance, I’ve been living off of breaking; that’s all I’ve ever wanted,” said B-Boy Phil Wizard.
His introduction to the sport came after seeing a group of dancers while walking through downtown Vancouver at 13 years old and becoming infatuated with their dance style. The teenager went home, turned to YouTube, and soon found the 2009 Red Bull BC One Finals. He was hooked.
Ten years later, he competed in the same competition for the first time.
Competing and dancing at gigs is how Phil supported himself after dropping out of the first year of university, before setting up coaching and mentorship programmes. But reaching the pinnacle of the sport, competing at an Olympic Games, is the dream.
“I’m pushing to see how far I can go, but I’m just grateful for every step along the way,” he told Olympics.com, admitting to a sense of relief in gaining the quota spot, added to the pride he felt in winning the continental title. “It’s been a long year,” he said.
Silver medalist Jeffro of Team United States, Gold medalist Phil Wizard of Team Canada and Bronze medalist Matita of Team Chile pose on the podium for on Breaking - B-Boys on Day 15 of Santiago 2023 Pan Am Games on November 04, 2023 in Santiago, Chile.
**Canada’s flag bearer at Santiago 2023 **B-Boy Phil Wizard
After taking home one of Canada’s 46 total gold medals and obtaining the country’s first ever breaking Olympic quota, Phil was named his country's flag-bearer for the Santiago 2023 closing ceremony — a privilege awarded to stand-out athletes representing their nations at a major games.
“I am honoured to be named flag bearer. It was an emotional moment when they told me. I cried a little bit, to be honest,” he laughed.
A Team Canada Instagram post showed the continental champion shedding tears as he was told he would carry the flag alongside Olympic bronze medallist and nine-time canoe sprint world champion, Katie Vincent*.
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“I’m proud to be Canadian and it feels like Canada is proud of me, which is a really good feeling. This was my first time at the Pan Am Games, my first time in a village and a Games environment. It was really cool meeting other athletes and this experience overall has been amazing.”
His younger self would be blown away.