Break to Believe: B-Boy Shigekix and B-Girl Royal Crowned Asian Games Champions in Aichi-Nagoya

The curtains fell today on the Breaking competition at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi Nagoya, bringing a tumultuous and explosive climax to two days of relentless action at the Aichi Sky Expo. Staged before a sold-out, capacity crowd that filled the arena to the rafters, Sports Presentation set the rhythm once more with a special show performance powered by traditional Japanese drums. Second day of the event, marking and final day of competition following yesterday's pre-selections and Top 16, unfolded against an electric backdrop of passionate fans waving national flags, with massive, vocal support backing the host nation's athletes alongside vibrant contingents from the People's Republic of China and South Korea.

B-Girls: A Masterclass in Artistry and Legacy

The podium Battles opened with an extraordinary lineup in the B-Girls' bracket, anchored by China's Guo Pu, competing as B-Girl Royal. Royal has established herself as a brilliant, shining star in the global Breaking firmament, taking the number one spot in every single competition she has entered since June 2025. From her first gold at the Asian Championships in Shanghai to her triumph at The 2025 World Games and securing her crown as the WDSF Adult Breaking World Champion in Fukuoka last December, she has won over both the public and the judging panel through her magic, humility, and authentic understanding of musical rhythm.

As she shared in an exclusive interview with WDSF:

"We need to practice with self-discipline like athletes, but our brains need to think like artists."

Taking the silver medal was Japan's B-Girl Ayumi Fukushima, who faced Royal once again in a Battle that proved sportsmanship and mutual respect far outweigh any competitive rivalry. Meeting once more in the cypher following their world-stage final in Fukuoka, Ayumi brought the advantage of experience and her Olympic moment in Paris 2024, where she finished fifth after topping the 2024 Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai. Together, Royal and Ayumi represented two distinct generations of Breaking: Ayumi carrying the torch of the generation that lived the Olympic milestone, and Royal leading the generation fighting and dreaming of seeing the sport return to the grand stage at Brisbane 2032. Summing up her ethos, Royal’s personal creed rings true:

"Believe in light, chase light, become light, emit light."

The bronze medal was claimed by China's Liu Qingyi (B-Girl 671), who secured third place after a grueling, high-stakes Battle against Japan's B-Girl Ayane. Ayane left everything on the cypher; though she missed out on an individual podium finish, she was later moved to tears of pure emotion when her brother, Shigeyuki Nakarai (B-Boy Shigekix), was crowned the champion of the 2026 Asian Games, securing this prestigious title for the second time in his career after his previous victory at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. The heartfelt reaction shared between the siblings reflected the deep bond they described to the WDSF yesterday:

"He is my biggest supporter," B-Girl Ayane shared, speaking about her brother Shigekix.

B-Boys: Shigekix Reigns Supreme as Hongten Defies Time

In the B-Boys' bracket, B-Boy Shigekix faced off in a stellar gold-medal duel against South Korean Breaking legend B-Boy Hongten (Kim Hongyul), who returned to WDSF competition following his last appearance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Hongten delivered a powerful message to the community:

"I want to show the next generation that even when you get old, you can still continue dancing."

Both athletes showcased the staggering caliber of Asian Breaking talent, delivering one of the most powerful and electrifying Battles of the entire tournament. Hot on their heels was China's Wang Ruimiao (B-Boy Monkey Z), who came to Aichi-Nagoya fresh off his victory at the inaugural World Breaking DanceSport Festival held last January in Brisbane, Australia.

Break to Believe: B-Boy Shigekix and B-Girl Royal Crowned Asian Games Champions in Aichi-Nagoya

Final Rankings

B-Girls Final Standings

1. B-Girl Royal (Guo Pu) – CHN

2. B-Girl Ayumi (Ayumi Fukushima) – JPN

3. B-Girl 671 (Liu Qingyi) – CHN

4. B-Girl Ayane (Ayane Nakarai) – JPN

5. B-Girl Yell (Kim Yeri) – KOR

6. B-Girl Starry (Kwon Seonghui) – KOR

7. B-Girl Jia Li (Yang Jia-Li) – TPE

8. B-Girl Sophia (Hsu Fu Ya) – TPE

9. B-Girl Sayora (Sayora Alibekova) – KAZ

10. B-Girl Tinie Rawk (Nguyen Thi Hong Tram) – VIE

11. B-Girl Aizara (Aizara Zhumabekova) – KAZ

12. B-Girl Flavor (Vo Thi Thanh Huong) – VIE

13. B-Girl Vivy (Vacharapa Orankicharoen) – THA

14. B-Girl Nutella (Thanawadee Suthisiri) – THA

15. B-Girl Handaa (Khandjav Myagmarjav) – MGL

16. B-Girl Lola (Lola Rajabova) – TJK

17. B-Girl Amina (Amina Rahimova) – TJK

B-Boys Final Standings

1. B-Boy Shigekix (Shigeyuki Nakarai) – JPN

2. B-Boy Hongten (Kim Hongyul) – KOR

3. B-Boy Monkey Z (Wang Ruimiao) – CHN

4. B-Boy Issin (Isshin Hishikawa) – JPN

5. B-Boy Amir (Amir Zakirov) – KAZ

6. B-Boy Quake (Sun Chen) – TPE

7. B-Boy Wing (Kim Heonwoo) – KOR

8. B-Boy Lithe-ing (Qi Xiangyu) – CHN

9. B-Boy Jasper (Wu Ding Jie) – TPE

10. B-Boy Dias (Dias Aubakirov) – KAZ

11. B-Boy Sailor D (Nguyen Thanh Dat) – VIE

12. B-Boy C Plus (Sze Ka Yam) – HKG

13. B-Boy Sonic Boom (Nguyen Van Huu) – VIE

14. B-Boy Snake Ga (Nattaphol Padkhamwong) – THA

15. B-Boy Duk (Dulguun Chuluunbaatar) – MGL

16. B-Boy Birdy (Pongsak Buntanom) – THA

17. B-Boy 2Type (Tsogtkhas Batjargal) – MGL

18. B-Boy Dorob (Sadriddin Dorobshokhi) – TJK

19. B-Boy Mateosh (Azam Narziev) – TJK

Acknowledgements and Looking Forward

Closing out the competition, WDSF President Shawn Tay highlighted the extraordinary standard of Asian talent and the bright horizon ahead:

"The level of talent we have witnessed from Asian Breakers throughout this competition is extraordinary. These athletes are not only proving what a brilliant present our sport enjoys, but they are also setting their sights on a remarkably bright future."

The immense success of this event would not have been possible without the dedication of the entire operational team. Sincere gratitude goes to our dynamic MCs, Portugal's Max Momentum and Japan's Kensaku, alongside Chairperson of the competition B-Boy Bojin, Head Judge Martin Gilian (MG), and the entire international panel of judges. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the Organising Committee of the 20th Asian Games and the Olympic Council of Asia for securing Breaking within the official sports programme.

If you want to relive every pulse-pounding moment, full event replays and highlights are available via the WDSF website livestream and the official Breaking for Gold social media and Youtube channels.