Azzurri at the Olympic Preparation Centre in Rome with Paris 2024 in their sights, Chillemi: “We want to bring the freshness of our scene to the Games”

Breakdance is fast approaching its Olympic debut. The discipline linked to the urban dance style born in New York’s Bronx district in the 1970s will be part of the programme for the Paris 2024 Games: it will be a historic first after its debut at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires in 2018. In view of the season dates where it will be possible to win Olympic passes (CLICK HERE FOR QUALIFICATION CRITERIA), in particular the European Games to be staged in Krakow (Poland), from 21 June to 2 July 2023, the Italian national team will periodically gather at CONI’s Olympic Preparation Centre at Acqua Acetosa in Rome.

The top Italian athlete is Antilai Sandrini, number 1 in the Olympic qualification ranking and already certain to take part in the European Games, having finished third in Japan in the first qualifying stage for Paris 2024 of the WDSF Breaking for Gold World Series.

She is followed by Alessandra Chillemi, currently number 12 in the rankings and busy at the “Giulio Onesti” Olympic Preparation Centre in Italy’s capital: “My passion for breaking was born when I was 6 years old. I used to watch the training and acrobatics of my neighbours, it was love at first sight. Now we are in the same crew". The first supporters of breakdancing were black and Puerto Rican youths, who formed teams to compete in street dance battles. Breakdance specialists are referred to as “B-boys”, “B-girls” or “Breakers”: the “B” stands for “Break”, as the athletes performed the dance steps during the instrumental phases of a song. “Ours is a very varied discipline", continues Chillemi. ”We have to train physically, artistically and technically. Behind our performances there is a lot of hard work every day". 

The ambitions, desires, and dreams of the Azzurri are aimed firmly at the next Olympics, whose competitions will be hosted at La Concorde Stadium: “This is a very important season for us. Olympic qualification has started, in competition and in training we all give 100% because we know how much this historic opportunity is worth. It is a new path – we have been catapulted into something bigger than ourselves. It is definitely very convenient for us to gather once a month at CONI’s Olympic Preparation Centre: we were a bit nervous when we first came, but we are already starting to feel at home". 

“I have known my national teammates since I was eight years old", the Italian B-girl said in closing. “We are a lovely group, we have grown up together. Having been an all-round sportswoman since I was a child, for me Paris 2024 really represents a dream. I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to go to an Olympic Games for breaking. The goal is to qualify and bring the freshness of our scene to the Games. Then, of course, once there we will aim to win medals".