Japan’s Shigeyuki Nakarai won the men’s gold medal battle for breaking, also known as breakdancing, while China’s Liu Qingyi claimed women’s gold at the Asian Games on Saturday.
Their titles qualified the two dancers for next summer’s Olympics in Paris, where the sport is set to make its Olympic debut.
Japan’s Shigeyuki Nakarai competes in the men’s breakdancing gold medal battle against South Korea’s Kim Hong Yul at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Nakarai, whose dance name is Shigekix, edged South Korea’s Kim Hong Yul 2-1, with collected votes being 14-13 at Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium on the penultimate day in Hangzhou, China.
For Nakarai, China has been like a second home, so he said things were not too difficult.
Japan’s Shigeyuki Nakarai poses after winning the men’s breakdancing gold at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
“Since I took up breaking, I’ve visited China for competitions more than any other country,” the 21-year-old said. “It’s not home, but it’s not really an away stage for me.”
Asked to comment on his Olympic berth, Nakarai said, “I won gold and now get to go to Paris. This is definitely going to be a confidence boost.”
“But I see this as just another stop on my journey. I’ll continue to work hard to become a better dancer and look great on the Paris stage.”
In the men’s bronze medal battle, China’s Qi Xiangyu defeated Japan’s Isshin Hishikawa 2-1.
On the women’s side, Liu defeated Japan’s Ami Yuasa 2-1 (16-11) in the final.
Japan’s Ami Yuasa (R) competes in the women’s final of breaking at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Kyodo)
“It was a tough challenge for me both physically and mentally,” Liu said of her Asian Games stint after competing at the world breaking championships, which ended only two weeks before in Belgium. “I’m happy to win this gold medal.”
Yuasa said, “I have to admit I got nervous but enjoyed it a lot on the stage. The result is determined by judges. I did my best. I’ll just try to do well in the next competition.”
Japan’s Ayumi Fukushima settled for bronze with a 3-0 win over China’s Zeng Yingying in the third-place battle.
At the world championships last month, the 40-year-old Fukushima finished runner-up to Lithuanian teenager Dominika Banevic.
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