Who is India Sardjoe? All you need to know about Breakdancing athlete from Netherlands

Sardjoe finished fourth in her category.

India Sardjoe made history by winning the first-ever breakdancing match at the Paris Olympics 2024 on August 9. Despite her impressive performance, she faced a tough loss in the semi-final of this debut sport.

She has become the talk of the town due to her unique name. Her first name is ‘India’ which has stirred some confusion, with many thinking that India, the country, was making strides in Olympic breakdancing. However, she is an 18-year-old breakdancer from the Netherlands who represented her nation in ‘breaking’ at the 33rd Summer Olympic Games.

Born in 2006 in The Hague, Netherlands, Sardjoe used to play football when she was young and began taking hip hop dance classes, but then switched to breakdancing at age seven. She won the Dutch national championship in the U12 category at the age of 10.

What is breaking?

Breaking or Breakdancing is a high-energy dance style that started in the US in the 1970s. It grew out of hip-hop culture in the Bronx, New York, where block parties were all the rage. Breaking is known for its acrobatic moves, slick footwork and the important role of the DJ and MC in hyping up the crowd during battles.

Breaking made its Olympic debut in Paris. The dance form was first introduced at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. Due to its success, it was added to the Paris 2024 Olympic program as a new sport.

India Sardjoe’s rise to glory

Sardjoe traveled internationally to attend different breakdancing tournaments and in 2022, she first won the Dutch championships, then the European championship, and the Red Bull BC One world championship in a six-month span. In 2023, she earned qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics, featuring the first appearance of breakdancing at the Olympics.

Performance at the 2024 Olympics

B-girl India kickstarted things off by beating China’s Liu Qingyi in the preliminary round. She finished on top of Group A before easily beating Ayumi Fukushima of Japan in the quarterfinals. Things looked well poised for the Dutch who was heading towards a medal but she had to face defeat in the semi-final contest against Japan’s Ami Yuasa, thereby ending the 18-year-old’s quest for a gold.

She suffered another heartbreak in the bronze medal match, losing to the same Chinese opponent she had earlier beaten in the preliminary round, finishing at #4 ultimately.

Also read: The Games which will debut in LA Olympics 2028

What does the future hold for Sardjoe?

India Sardjoe, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands, has made a big splash in the world of Olympic breakdancing. This new Olympic sport, which looks like a mix of dancing and gymnastics, first appeared at the Paris 2024 Games.

Even though breakdancing won’t be in the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, it might come back for the Brisbane Games in 2032. This means that breakdancers like Sardjoe might get another chance to show off their moves on the world’s biggest sports stage in the future.

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