Dakar hosts breaking finals at Youth Olympic Games
12 breakers aged 14 to 17, from around the world, fought duels on November 12 to qualify for the finals.
Breaking, also called break dance, returned to the Olympic programme at the Youth Olympic Games (JOJ 2026) in Dakar, four years after the Paris 2024 Games. On November 12, 12 breakers aged 14 to 17, from countries around the world, competed in fast head-to-head duels to qualify for the final.
Crowds in Dakar turned out for the contest, drawn to the acrobatic style. The discipline is not on the programme for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, which makes its place in Dakar a rare chance for young dancers to compete at this level.
Aminata Touré, the High Representative of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, congratulated the president on the success of the Games in a social media post and praised Senegalese hospitality, known as Téranga.
Why it mattersYoung dancers aged 14 to 17 who qualify for the finals in Dakar gain a rare Olympic-level stage, since breaking is not on the Los Angeles 2028 programme.