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Philip Kim (breakdancer)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Phil Wizard
Phil wizard at 2024 olympics
Personal information
Birth namePhilip Kim
National team Canada
Born (1997-01-25) January 25, 1997 (age 27)[1]
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Sport
Country Canada
SportBreaking
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Breaking
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris B-Boys
WDSF World Breaking Championship
Gold medal – first place 2022 Seoul B-Boys
Silver medal – second place 2023 Leuven B-Boys
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Santiago B-Boys
WDSF Pan American Breaking Championship
Gold medal – first place 2023 Santiago B-Boys

Philip Kim (born January 25, 1997),[2] also known as Phil Wizard, is a Canadian artist who specializes in breaking. He is the men's 2024 Summer Olympic gold medal winner and 2022 World champion in that discipline.[3][4]

Early life

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Kim was born to Korean parents in Toronto, Canada. He attended Magee Secondary School in Vancouver, where he frequently excused himself from classes to go to the bathroom to try new moves and practice in the hallway.[5] He briefly attended university before dropping out to pursue breaking full time.[6]

Career

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Kim's love of breaking began in 2009, when he saw the Now or Never (N.O.N.) crew performing street shows in downtown Vancouver.[7][6] His stage name was given to him by accident: after consistently being introduced as ‘Phil from the Wizards crew’ people eventually began to shorten it to 'Phil Wizard'.[8] He has since admitted that the name would not have been his first choice.[8]

Kim won the gold medal at the 2022 WDSF World Breaking Championships in Seoul, South Korea, beating out more than 250 competitors for his world title.[9][10][8] In 2023, Kim won gold at the WDSF Pan American Breaking Championship in Santiago, Chile followed by silver at the 2023 WDSF World Breaking Championship.[11][12]

In August 2023, Kim was named to Canada's 2023 Pan American Games team.[13]

Kim won gold in the inaugural 2024 Olympic Breakdancing competition.

Personal life

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Kim lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Athletes:Philip Kim". www.toyotatimes.jp. Toyota Times. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  2. ^ CORPORATION, TOYOTA MOTOR. "Phillip Kim| GLOBAL TEAM TOYOTA ATHLETES | SPORTS | TOYOTA TIMES". TOYOTATIMES (in Japanese). Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  3. ^ "Philip Kim". Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website. August 25, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  4. ^ "DANY DANN vs PHIL WIZARD Results". olympics.com. August 10, 2024. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  5. ^ https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/vancouver-dancer-kid-olympic-dream
  6. ^ a b "Phil Wizard's memorable journey to becoming a full-time b-boy". Red Bull. June 3, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Phil Wizard". Red Bull. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Kelly, Cathy (August 8, 2023). "Life's good for Phil Wizard, who gets all the breaks". Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  9. ^ Durant, Jay (November 1, 2022). "B.C. breakdancer wins world championship, sets eyes on 2024 Olympic debut". Global News. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  10. ^ Gillespie, Kerry (March 19, 2023). "How breakdancing's big Olympic break changed the game for one Canadian world champion". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  11. ^ "Phil Wizard, Luma reign supreme at inaugural Pan Am Championship". www.worlddancesport.org/. World DanceSport Federation (WDSF). May 31, 2023. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  12. ^ McGoldrick, Hayley (September 24, 2023). "Phil Wizard finishes second at World Breaking Championships". www.olympic.ca/. Canadian Olympic Committee. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  13. ^ "Four Team Canada athletes set to make history in breaking's Pan American Games debut at Santiago 2023" (Press release). Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Olympic Committee. Retrieved September 30, 2023.