American Grace Choi, better known as B-girl “Sunny,” won the first Pan American gold medal for breaking, the sport that mixes dancing and acrobatics. She also qualified for the Paris Olympics next year. Sunny, the 7th-best ranked break dancer in the world, beat Colombia’s Luisa Tejada, who is known as “Luma,” by 3-0 in the decider.
Canada’s Tiff competes against Sunny, of the United States in the B-Girls semi-finals breaking competition at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Canada’s Tiff, front, competes against Sunny, of the United States, in the B-Girls semi-finals breaking competition at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
The 34-year-old Choi told The Associated Press on Friday that getting a good nickname is mandatory for break dancers and part of hip-hop culture.Chile forced to play striker in goal, drops 1-0 game to Mexico in Pan American gold medal match“People used to tell me somebody had to name me so I could break. I just didn’t get named by somebody. It matches my personality, people known I am funny,” the Cookeville, Tennessee-born break dancer said.
“Sany! Sany! Sany!” chanted 13-year-old Paulina Torres, who watched the American perform after being convinced to come by one of her classmates. “I am into skateboarding, but this is so cool. She is an athlete and her name is not Maria, not Claudia. She is Sany.” Asked if he knew the real names of any of the judges, technical delegate Max, from Portugal, replied: “No, and they probably don’t know mine.”Breaking was born in the United States about 50 years ago. Choi and other Americans attending the Olympics will have the pressure of performing in front of a big audience at the historic Place de la Concorde representing where the hip-hop dance comes from.
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