Phil Wizard says breakdancers need to 'think like an artist, but train like an athlete'

17:20Phil Wizard: Overcoming self-doubt to win gold at the Olympics

Unlike many gold medallists at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Phil Wizard didn't grow up dreaming of becoming an Olympian. But back in August, the Vancouver-based B-boy won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in men's breaking — and possibly the last.

Breakdancing, officially called breaking, was introduced as a temporary competition, meaning that it won't necessarily be included in future Olympics. After it was added to the program for Paris 2024, some questioned whether breaking is an art form or a sport.

"I don't blame them," Phil Wizard tells Q's Tom Power. "Breaking is something very different than your other traditional sports. I think [in] any judged sports, there's an amount of subjectivity to it, but [in] breaking especially."

For him, breaking is at the intersection of art and sport. "I always had a saying, 'Think like an artist, but train like an athlete,'" he says. "Because we are doing something extremely athletic. It is very difficult, but we always thought of it more like the creative arts."

Going into this experience, Phil Wizard wasn't sure if the Olympics were the right place for the discipline, but he was open to enjoying the opportunity. Now, he thinks "it was a great fit" and is happy to see that "at least in Canada, everyone was supportive."

In a sea of memes and social media hate towards breaking — especially following Australian B-girl Raygun's widely mocked performance — Phil Wizard's winning performance stood out for the right reasons.

He tells Power that many people told him what they saw him do changed their minds about the level of skill and creativity required for breaking. While he's sure some people still have their doubts, he doesn't care about that anymore.

"The energy in the stadium was amazing and it's hard to grasp in words, but truly, it was an incredible experience," he says. "I can definitely say, anyone who was there was definitely blown away."

The full interview with Phil Wizard is available on our podcast, Q with Tom Power. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Interview with Phil Wizard produced by Vanessa Nigro.