J-Attack Lays Down in B-Boy Competition

Jeff ‘J-Attack’ Dunne has created history as Australia’s first ever male Olympic breaker in the breaking B-Boy competition, taking to the Place de la Concorde and throwing it down against some of the best breakers in the world.

The 16-year-old was drawn in a tough group against 2022 world champion Phil Wizard (CAN), 2023 European Games gold medallist Dany Dann (FRA) and Ukranian Kuzya, but showed no fear as he took it up to them.

The youngest competitor in the field, J-Attack had the crowd heavily involved in several battles, but it wasn’t enough to see him progress to the knockout stages.

Despite missing out at a chance for a medal, he said that the experience was incredible.

“I was having a lot of fun especially towards the end,” he said. “I did feel a little frustrated at times, but that’s because I think going against all these high level athletes. 

“It’s not like just some random person from Australia that’s not that good. These are b-boys that have been in the game longer than I’ve been in the game.

“So a lot of these b-boys are people I look up to and I admire, so to go against them is just a whole new level of respect and experience.”

In his opening battle, J-Attack was straight into some spectacular spins and low moves, sizing up Kuzya to the delight of the arena.

His opening round impressed one of the nine judges to land a point, going down 8-1 in the opening round.

His flair and prowess once again was on display in the second round, but it was no match for his Ukranian opponent who took the second round 9-0.

J-Attack then faced the tough task of going against home favourite Dany Dann next, and although once again dropping some strong spins and flair on the mat, lost the battle 2-0.

With progression through to the knockout rounds not possible, J-Attack finished off his Olympic debut with a sense of fun in his battle against Phil Wizard, sizing him up with some strong vigour and finesse on the floor.

He would ultimately fall 2-0 to the Canadian, but received some words of encouragement from the number two ranked breaker in the world.

“He told me, it’s just your presence, you need to show your presence through your movements a bit more,” J-Attack explained. “He said that comes with experience and getting used to big world level stages. 

“Being from Australia, it’s so isolated as well as being the youngest competitor to be competing on the Olympic stage, it’s something new to me, and he knew that. 

“So for that to be said by someone I really admire, it’s just so good.”

Article courtesy of the AOC