Breaking for Gold Series in Hong Kong: Japanese teens Riko and Issin rule series finale
Japanese breakers showed creativity and grit to overcome sports veterans and claim four of the six medals available at the year's last event.
Breaking
B-Girl Riko and B-Boy Issin led a Japanese power surge onto the podium at the 2023 WDSF Breaking for Gold Series event, held in Hong Kong from 15 to 16 December. The teen breakers walked off with gold medals as Japan swept four of the six medals up for grabs at the series finale.
This was the last chance for breakers to collect points to qualify for next year's Olympic Qualifier Series, which serves as the final Paris 2024 qualifier in the sport.
While Japan's big-hitters B-Boy Shigekix and B-Girls Ami and Ayumi were absent from the Hong Kong event, their teenage compatriots made sure the country's dominance in the sport was not left to any doubt.
B-Girl Riko claimed her third victory of the year in a final duel against B-Girl Stefani. The experienced Ukranian took the second round unanimously, but the Japanese 16-year-old kept her cool and pulled out a stellar third round to take the win.
On the men’s side, B-Boy Issin was also not going to let the experience of his rival B-Boy Wing intimidate him. The breaking guru from the Republic of Korea was looking to celebrate his third victory of the year, but was stopped in his tracks by 18-year old Issin who claimed the year's first win with just a few days left on the 2023 calendar.
The Japanese teen was so exhausted at the end of his heroics that he had to sit down on the floor to recover as other breakers came over to offer their congratulations.
Japan also dominated the bronze medal battles with B-Boy Hiro10 taking down Chinese Taipei’s B-Boy Quake in a tight match up, while B-Girl Ayane faced off against Italy’s Anti.
Unlike Anti, Ayane does not have a ticket to the Olympic Qualifier Series so the bronze medal in the final event of the year certainly lifted her spirits.