Victor Montalvo officially became the first American to win at the breaking event. The sport became a part of the Olympics for the first time in Paris 2024, and Montalvo led his country to a sweet victory right away. He had to put in every bit of his blood, sweat, and tears to achieve this victory, and it seems like the outcome was worth it.

The foundation for this moment wasn’t laid merely a few months ago, but several years ago, even before Montalvo showed up in this world. Before exploring anything further, let’s just say that his immigrant father must be proud right now.

Victor Montalvo has come out ‘victorious’

The championship match wasn’t just a way for the United States to show its dominance in the new dance sport; it also worked as a redemption for Montalvo’s closed ones. Before other responsibilities hit him, Montalvo’s father also had a dream to become an international B-boy. However, he wasn’t able to pursue it any further and settled in Florida after leaving Mexico with his wife. This is where Montalvo was born.

He inherited his father’s talent for breaking and honed his skills further, eventually becoming a proud name on the global circuit. He also fell in love with B-girl Kate, and the two ended up marrying.

Kateryna Pavlenko was also a part of the breakdancing competition at the Paris Olympics. She even reached the quarterfinals but couldn’t proceed further as she was defeated by China’s 671. Victor Montalvo did not only win bronze for himself but also for his father and his partner; one was eliminated earlier in the event, and the other never made it so far into the dance sport.

Before winning bronze in Paris, Montalvo had told Olympics.com, “What I’m trying to do right now is just focus more on my dance and reinvent myself, get more creative, evolve, and become a new Victor in the dance.”

This must be a proud moment for everyone closely associated with Montalvo and for the supporters of the Stars and Stripes. However, as a fan, you should know that it wasn’t an easy road.

Victor Montalvo had to deal with heartbreak before becoming an Olympic champion

It didn’t take the athlete long to claim the top position on the hill, thanks to his skills and hard work. However, after making it to the other side as an acclaimed name in the circuit, Victor Montalvo felt like the world of break dancing had become rote for him. He was on ‘auto-pilot’ during his performances and felt like his moves didn’t hold the same emotions anymore. The universe played cards in his favor when the entire world was thrown into a pandemic lockdown in 2020. His much-needed sabbatical allowed him to reconnect with his breakdancing identity and get back into the game even stronger than before.

He quickly gained more achievements for himself before coming to the Paris Olympics. Here also, Victor Montalvo quickly climbed his way up the ladder. After clearing the preliminary rounds first and then moving on to the quarterfinals, in which he defeated Team Kazakhstan, he only displayed his prowess in the semifinals but was defeated by Dany Dann from France. He then moved on to another battle. While his loss could have eliminated him, the Florida-born had other plans. He pulled through and showed Shigekix of Japan what he was made of. The conclusion of the battle was that he won bronze for Team USA by 3 points.

Do you feel inspired after seeing Victor Montalvo win bronze for his dear country?