Gold medalist Qi Xiangyu (known as Lithe-Ing) of China reacts during the victory ceremony for the Breaking B-Boys event at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
CHENGDU, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- China swept both titles of breaking at The World Games 2025 at the Chengbei Gymnasium here on Sunday, as Guo Pu (B-Girl Royal) and Qi Xiangyu (B-Boy Lithe-ing) clinched the women's and men's gold medals respectively.
The men's semifinals featured three Japanese dancers and Lithe-ing as the lone Chinese. The 20-year-old defeated Hiroto Ono (B-Boy Hiro10) before overcoming Isshin Hishikawa (B-Boy Issin) in the final, with the home crowd on their feet throughout the contest, cheering passionately for the local favorite.
Paris Olympic bronze medalist Shigeyuki Nakarai (B-Boy Shigekix) outperformed Hiro10 in an all-Japanese bronze medal clash.
"I was so nervous and my legs were shaking before the final, but I kept telling myself to breathe and stay ready," Lithe-ing said.
Last year at the Paris Olympics, he was drawn into a "Group of Death" with Shigekix and Hiro10, and failed to advance to the knockout stage, leaving the battle field in tears. After a year of adjustment and growth, he has become more composed and mature - this time standing on top of the podium as champion.
"Compared with the Olympics, I felt much calmer this time," he noted. "The pressure was still there, but it helped me instead of holding me back."
The triumph marked the first title for a Chinese B-Boy at a multi-sport event.
"When the national anthem played at the ceremony, it felt unreal - finally it was our flag and our song on this stage," Lithe-ing said.
In the women's event, China showed even greater dominance as Royal faced her national teammate Liu Qingyi (B-Girl 671) in the final, winning in three rounds to claim the gold.
The 16-year-old prodigy has been one of the hottest names in women's breaking over the past half year. Earlier this year, Royal rose to prominence by winning the FISE World Series in Montpellier, France, and went on to capture back-to-back titles at the Asian Youth Championships and the Asian Championships.
By the time she stepped onto the World Games stage in Chengdu, Royal had already established herself as one of the world's top B-Girls.
"It has been a smooth half year for me, but I think it's also the result of nearly ten years of effort. Dancing is a form of communication, and competing around the world has helped me learn from others' styles and confidence, which in turn allowed me to open up and better express myself on stage," Royal said.
In the semifinals, Royal defeated France's Sya Dembele (B-Girl Syssy), while 671 overcame Paris Olympic silver medalist Dominika Banevic of Lithuania (B-Girl Nicka) in a rematch of last year's Olympic semifinal.
This time 671 prevailed to reach the final, while Nicka later beat Syssy in the bronze medal contest.
"I felt I could win this time because I had prepared my battle strategy specifically for her," 671 said about the semifinal. "For the final, I didn't make any special plan - I just wanted to hold my ground in the tough upper bracket. Once I reached the last battle, I felt in good shape and showed my own style."
It was only the second time that breaking featured at a World Games. While China had just one semifinalist - 671 - in Birmingham in 2022, this time three Chinese dancers reached the semifinals, bringing home two golds and one silver for a breakthrough performance.
France's Mounir Biba, a legendary B-Boy and multiple champion at international events including the Red Bull BC One, took charge as head coach of the Chinese national team in early 2022. At that time, few Chinese dancers were able to advance from the group stage at major world competitions.
"It's amazing to see how far we've come in such a short time," Biba said. "Two gold medals here, an all-Chinese final for the B-girls, and our first-ever men's title - this is a fantastic moment for the team."
"When I started, Chinese breaking was almost unknown internationally," he noted. "Now we have an Olympic bronze, Asian Games gold, and two World Games golds and a silver. In my 30 years as a B-boy, I've never seen a country progress so fast."
"The atmosphere in Chengdu showed how much breaking is growing in China," Biba added. "With so many young dancers and so much passion, I believe the next 10 to 15 years will be even brighter for us."
Despite breaking's absence from the Los Angeles 2028 after making its Olympic debut in Paris, the sport will continue to feature at major multi-sport events such as The World Games, the Asian Games and the Youth Olympic Games.
For Biba and his Chinese B-Boys and B-Girls, the World Games triumph in Chengdu is not an end, but a new beginning. ■
Gold medalist Qi Xiangyu (C, known as Lithe-Ing) of China, silver medalist Hishikawa Isshin (L, known as Issin) of Japan and bronze medalist Nakarai Shigeyuki (known as Shigekix) of Japan pose during the victory ceremony for the Breaking B-Boys event at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Gold medalist Qi Xiangyu (known as Lithe-Ing) of China reacts during the victory ceremony for the Breaking B-Boys event at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Gold medalist Qi Xiangyu (C, known as Lithe-Ing) of China, silver medalist Hishikawa Isshin (L, known as Issin) of Japan and bronze medalist Nakarai Shigeyuki (known as Shigekix) of Japan attend the victory ceremony for the Breaking B-Boys event at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Liu Qingyi of China, known as 671, competes during the Breaking B-Girls Gold Medal Battle against Guo Pu of China, known as Royal, at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Gold medalist Guo Pu (known as Royal) of China poses during the victory ceremony for the Breaking B-Girls event at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Guo Pu of China, known as Royal, competes during the Breaking B-Girls Gold Medal Battle against Liu Qingyi of China, known as 671, at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Gold medalist Guo Pu (C, known as Royal) of China, silver medalist Liu Qingyi (L, known as 671) of China and bronze medalist Nicka of Lithuania pose during the victory ceremony for the Breaking B-Girls event at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Liu Qingyi of China, known as 671, competes during the Breaking B-Girls Gold Medal Battle against Guo Pu of China, known as Royal, at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Silver medalist Liu Qingyi (known as 671) of China poses during the victory ceremony for the Breaking B-Girls event at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Gold medalist Guo Pu (C, known as Royal) of China, silver medalist Liu Qingyi (2nd L, known as 671) of China and bronze medalist Nicka (2nd R) of Lithuania attend the victory ceremony for the Breaking B-Girls event at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Guo Pu of China, known as Royal, competes during the Breaking B-Girls Gold Medal Battle against Liu Qingyi of China, known as 671, at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Guo Pu of China, known as Royal, competes during the Breaking B-Girls Gold Medal Battle against Liu Qingyi of China, known as 671, at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Guo Pu (R) of China, known as Royal, competes during the Breaking B-Girls Gold Medal Battle against Liu Qingyi of China, known as 671, at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Liu Qingyi of China, known as 671, competes during the Breaking B-Girls Gold Medal Battle against Guo Pu of China, known as Royal, at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
Guo Pu of China, known as Royal, competes during the Breaking B-Girls Gold Medal Battle against Liu Qingyi of China, known as 671, at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
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