In his eyes, it would be "quite symbolic". Standing on the top step of the podium on 10 August 2024 at the Parc Urbain la Concorde, at the foot of the Luxor Obelisk, Mounir Amhiln would be making history in more ways than one. The native of Champigny-sur-Marne, just outside Paris, would win Olympic gold on home soil in France.
He would also probably be the only winner of the breaking events in the history of the Games. As he himself says, breaking at the Games will be "for the first and last time in Paris". In 2028, at the Los Angeles Olympics in the United States, breaking will already be disappearing.
So, for Mounir Amhiln, if he qualifies for the Games in Paris from 26 July to 11 August 2024, he might as well go all out. Especially as this member of the French breaking team has an impressive track record. 3 French championship titles, 2 runner-up finishes, and a status to live up to in Paris.
During the competition, the French b-boy will no doubt be driven by a little extra motivation, fuelled by his love of the French capital. Mounir Amhiln likes to walk "the streets of Paris": "It's always good to walk in beautiful surroundings", and above all, walking "softens you up a bit before the effort".
His spot for training is le Centquatre, a cultural centre in the north-east of Paris, "an emblematic venue for hip-hop culture". This huge hall is a melting pot where visitors to exhibitions can admire the prowess of dozens of dancers between two visits.
© Paris je t'aime
Every opportunity is a good one to share the passion for breaking, a discipline that is relatively unknown in France. Thanks to the City of Paris, Mounir Amhiln regularly goes out to meet primary and secondary school classes, an opportunity to "introduce as many people as possible to the discipline".
But as he no doubt knows, the best possible publicity for breaking is a Frenchman with a medal around his neck during the Games. Mounir Amhiln can believe it. In the meantime, he has imagined the moment after, and here again, his link with Paris is undeniable: "After winning a medal, why not take the RER back home, that would be nice.
