Philip Kim (breakdancer) facts for kids
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| Birth name | Philip Kim | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | January 25, 1997 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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| Country |  Canada |
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| Sport | Breaking | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Philip Kim, born on January 25, 1997, is a super talented Canadian breakdancer. You might know him better by his stage name, Phil Wizard. He made history by winning the gold medal in men's breaking at the 2024 Summer Olympics! He also became the World Champion in 2022.
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Phil Wizard's Early Life
Philip Kim was born in Toronto, Canada. His parents are from Korea. When he was younger, he went to Magee Secondary School in Vancouver. He loved breaking so much that he would often sneak away from class. He would go to the bathroom or practice new moves in the hallway. After high school, he started university. But he soon decided to leave to focus on breaking full-time.
Phil Wizard's Breaking Career
Phil Wizard's journey into breaking started in 2009. He saw a crew called Now or Never (N.O.N.) performing amazing street shows. This happened in downtown Vancouver, and it made him fall in love with the dance style.
How Phil Wizard Got His Name
His stage name, Phil Wizard, was actually given to him by accident! People often introduced him as 'Phil from the Wizards crew'. Over time, this was shortened to 'Phil Wizard'. He has said that it wasn't the name he would have picked first. But it stuck, and now everyone knows him by it.
Early Competitions
In 2015, Phil Wizard entered his first big competition. It was the Canadian Red Bull BC One national championship. This event could lead to the North American and then the World Championship. He did very well, but he lost in the final round. He was beaten by a dancer named Fléau from Montreal.
Becoming a World Champion
Phil Wizard kept working hard and improving his skills. In 2022, he achieved a huge goal. He won the gold medal at the 2022 WDSF World Breaking Championships. This big event took place in Seoul, South Korea. He beat more than 250 other dancers to earn his world title!
In 2023, Phil Wizard continued his winning streak. He won gold at the WDSF Pan American Breaking Championship in Santiago, Chile. Later that year, he won a silver medal at the 2023 WDSF World Breaking Championship.
Training and Challenges
To get even better, Phil traveled to Seoul, Korea, in 2022. He trained with a famous breakdancer named Hong 10. Their training focused on building stamina for long competitions. After their training, they had an intense 20-minute battle. They completed 17 rounds before Phil decided to stop.
Representing Canada
In August 2023, Phil Kim was chosen to join Canada's team for the Pan American Games. This was a big honor for him.
Olympic Gold Medal
Phil Wizard made history at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Breaking was included in the Olympics for the very first time. Phil won the gold medal in the men's breaking competition. This made him an Olympic champion and a pioneer in the sport!
Phil Wizard's Personal Life
Phil Kim lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. He continues to inspire many young dancers around the world.
