Entering new ground: Singapore SEA Games medallist hopes to be at breaking's Olympic debut in Paris 2024

He remembers the buzz of the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore as he was one of the torchbearers for the torch relay. But never did Jeremy Sim expect he would ever get a chance to represent the Republic at a major Games.

Four years later, the b-boy (breaker) was sharing the same stage as national swimmers and fencers as he claimed a bronze medal in the men's breaking event at the biennial Games in the Philippines.

The freelance dance instructor, 24, whose interest in breaking was piqued by the Step Up dance movie franchise, said: "It was a pleasant surprise to compete at the SEA Games and win a medal.

"I felt I could have done better but it was an amazing experience and I would love to go through it again."

That desire could become a reality when breaking makes its Olympic Games debut at Paris 2024. This follows its appearance at the 2018 Youth Olympics, when 24 b-boys and b-girls broke new ground in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The decision to include breaking in the Olympic programme has raised eyebrows worldwide.

But Felix Huang, founder of breaking group Radikal Forze and widely regarded as the face of the Singapore breaking scene, felt that questioning the legitimacy of breaking as an Olympic sport is unwarranted.

Huang, 39, said: "To many, breaking is just brainless movement, but there is a lot of history and foundation in the movements.

"It is also extremely taxing physically, more so than soccer, swimming and badminton. Spinning on your head is not something that comes as naturally as kicking a ball or swinging a racket.

"It is not something you take only a year or two to master because it is extremely dynamic."

He also urged sceptics to look at the bigger picture and noted: "Some people may have low tolerance for things that don't look or feel normal, but we are in 2020 now and we need to change our mindset.

"We need a rejuvenation of the sports line-up and introduce new sports in the programme because the Olympics need changes and evolution to become more hip and resonate with newer and younger viewers."

In Singapore, breaking has come a long way since it was associated with delinquency in the 1980s.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, Singapore had a vibrant breaking scene, with breakers seen practising or performing at public spaces like the Esplanade basement, *Scape, the Singapore Management University basement, The Star Vista and even Changi Airport.

Last year, there were competitions organised by dance studios, school clubs and breakers, happening as often as once a week and with about 60 to 80 participants.

The annual *Scape Radikal Forze Jam also grew from a turnout of 200 in 2008 to more than 10,000 dancers from over 40 countries last year.

Huang, who is also the Singapore Dancesport Federation's (SGDF) breaking lead, estimates there are about 20 to 30 crews and about 1,000 breakers here, with about 100 of them competitive.

Despite the relatively small talent pool in Singapore, he felt the standards at the top were comparable to the best in the world and a Singaporean breaker qualifying for the 2024 Games was a possibility.

Local athletes who earn a spot at the Summer Games traditionally come from individual sports like table tennis, swimming, sailing and shooting.

Deloitte sports business group leader James Walton felt breaking was another avenue, saying: "There's often a lot of talk about genetic differences with regard to strength and physique, which should not be an issue with breaking.

"There also shouldn't be a problem in terms of access to facilities because it is a sport you can really do anywhere. So if the sport is in the Olympics for the long term, there would be potential for Singapore."

The path to Paris 2024 is paved with uncertainties though.

Unlike mainstream Olympic sports like badminton, sailing, shooting, swimming and table tennis, whose athletes benefit from multi-year plans and funding as well as top-level coaching and sports science support, the breaking ecosystem is far more loosely structured and organised.

SGDF president Robert Ong said: "With talent and hard work, it is possible for us to groom an Olympian, but we need more information such as the continental quota and qualifying criteria and events before we can make plans."

Even getting Sim on the plane to the Philippines for the SEA Games was not straightforward.

Breaking was featured for the first time and Huang had to convince the Singapore National Olympic Council of Sim's eligibility, using his results against regional rivals in international competitions as justification.

Huang said: "There is a difference between competitive and recreational breaking. The key is to get competitive exposure and, for that, we need funding and support from the authorities.

"Like any other sport, training, taking physical care and peaking at the right time are all part of the process of doing well in a breaking competition.

"Many of our competitive breakers have day jobs and they will need financial support so they can focus on improving their craft, instead of worrying about whether they can make ends meet while trying to make it to the Olympics."

Sim, who trains six days a week to hone the basic elements of top rock, footwork, power moves and freezes, said support in terms of sports science for medical and recovery needs is also crucial.

Singapore Sport Institute chief Toh Boon Yi said such help would be forthcoming.

He added: "Our dancesport athletes proved their mettle at the regional level when they won five medals at the 2019 SEA Games.

"With breaking featuring at the Paris Olympics, another generation and genre of dance athletes can aspire to join the sporting fraternity's quest to inspire pride and excellence.

"We will be on the lookout for promising breaking athletes who have not traditionally been on our radar and continue to support our athletes so that they perform at their best."