Breaking news: B-Boy Broly: "The Olympics are a platform to prove our skill and gain visibility"
Argentina’s Mariano Carvajal (B-Boy Broly) is the only B-Boy in the world to have won an Olympic medal on home soil. He spoke to Olympics.com about his career and how competing in France may give French B-Boys an advantage at the next Olympics.
Mariano Carvajal (B-Boy Broly) is the only person in the world to have won an Olympic breaking medal in his home country. He did so when the sport debuted at the Buenos Aires 2018 YOG, six years before it will make its full Olympic debut at Paris 2024.
Competing at home will be an extra incentive for French B-Boys and B-Girls hoping to replicate his feat, however Carvajal is once again aiming to be one of the strongest competitors in Paris.
“There is nothing better in the world than winning the medal in Buenos Aires. It was the perfect place, because I felt the support of the spectators and that made me feel more secure. But at the same time, I felt more pressure because I was representing the country at home,” said Broly in an interview with Olympics.com.
READ MORE: How to qualify for breaking at Paris 2024
The advantage of French breakers at Paris 2024
Alongside Italy's B-Girl Lexi, B-Boy Broly won silver in the YOG mixed event, which will not be on the Olympic programme for Paris 2024.
“I feel like it was the best experience of my life. I don’t ever remember being that excited. When I jumped up on the podium and was handed the medal, that was my greatest moment,” said Carvajal.
“On the other hand, there is a tremendous pressure when you compete at home. But I do think this is something that will help French B-Boys and B-Girls win a medal.”
Broly competed against France's B-Boys at Buenos Aires 2018, including Martin Lejeune, who won the individual men's silver medal.
“The level of breaking in France is great, they are a powerhouse. It’s a country that will be very hard to beat but if I train a lot, I think I can reach that level. I don’t have anything to be afraid of,” he said.
B-Boy Broly's pathway to Paris 2024
The first quotas for Paris 2024 will be secured in 2023, but right now the world’s finest breakers are jostling for position in the world rankings in order to earn a place in the qualification tournaments for the Games, with the first one being the WDSF World Championship 2023.
Broly is fully focused on the task ahead.
While he recognises that breaking in Latin America is not on the same level as countries such as Japan, France and the USA, he still dreams of making it to the Games and increasing the visibility of breaking in Latin America.
“It was a big step forward for breaking to be included in the YOG. The sport went viral and it was a good opportunity for us. Now we have a platform to prove our skill and gain visibility.”
B-Boy Broly aiming for another medal in Paris
But visibility is not B-Boy Broly’s only aim if he makes it to Paris 2024.
"I want everything. I want to win".
And he also wants to express himself because, in his opinion, breaking goes beyond sport - it is the point where athleticism and art meet.
“It’s an art because you dance, you express yourself, you break free. But at the same time, it’s a sport because it has lots of rules and it is pure athleticism. Our movements are so complex that you need to be in shape,” said Carvajal, who began breaking at age four when he started to copy his father who was a trailblazer of the sport in Argentina.
But B-Boy Broly's breaking family extends further than blood relatives. When he competes, the battles end the moment the battles end.
“When I am up on stage, I want to express fierceness and intimidation, I want to make my opponent nervous. But this is just a competition, when the battle ends we are all siblings.”