Fatima Zahra El Mamouny, the first woman to qualify for breaking at the Olympics, overcame challenges to inspire change in perceptions. Her victory symbolizes progress in Morocco's breaking culture, led by a determined federation president. Breaking, a blend of dance and art, faces misconceptions but offers empowerment and skill. El Mamouny's dedication and hope to inspire more women highlight the transformative power of the sport as she aims for Olympic success in Paris.
#breaking #Olympics #empowerment #Morocco #dance
#breaking #Olympics #empowerment #Morocco #dance
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00:00The day Morocco's Fatemeh Zahra El-Mamani qualified for the Olympics' newest sport will
00:05live long in her mind.
00:07Not only did she become the first woman in the world to book a spot in the breaking competition
00:11at Paris 2024 in May last year, but she did so as her father lay in hospital having surgery.
00:18''I was really sad because I got the call on the same day of the African Championship,''
00:23B-girl El-Mamani, as she is known during competition, told BBC Sport Africa.
00:28''I was like, ''Can I dance while my dad is in hospital?''
00:33Then he called me and said, ''If you want me to be in good health and want me to be
00:37happy, just do it and win it for me,'' and I did it for him."
00:42Her victory at the Continental Championships in Rabat showed how far El-Mamani had come
00:47in changing perceptions, including those of her father, about women from North Africa
00:52competing in breaking.
00:55''It was the greatest moment of my life,'' the 25-year-old said.
00:59''He was watching me live on a screen at the hospital.
01:03It was so emotional.
01:05I got my medal and went to see him and told him this is for you.
01:09He was super happy.
01:11He said, ''My heart was about to stop when I saw you in this competition.
01:15I cannot describe the happiness he felt.
01:18It was in his eyes.''
01:21The pioneer who won the war B-girl El-Mamani clinching the 2023 African title crowned a
01:26hugely successful event for Morocco, as her compatriot Bilal Malik known as B-boy Billy,
01:32booked his place in the men's event at Paris 2024.
01:36The pair became the first qualifiers for the sport's inaugural appearance at the Olympics.
01:43Watching on with pride was Selma Benani, president of Morocco's Federation for Aerobic Fitness,
01:48hip-hop and related sports, which encompasses breaking.
01:53Having studied aerobic sport in the United States, she brought her knowledge back to
01:57Morocco 28 years ago, and could only dream that one day one of her passions might become
02:02an Olympic sport.
02:03''I'm not just proud, I'm excited, overwhelmed with happiness, because hip-hop and breaking
02:09have been my fight since the founding of this federation,'' Benani told BBC Sport Africa.
02:16''We are in Morocco.
02:17The culture of hip-hop comes from the USA, from the Bronx, and it was born in the streets.
02:22The youngsters of the Bronx wanted to express themselves via a dance.
02:28So they created the battles, talking to each other through physical dance, and expressing
02:32their feelings, but also expressing hope in life.
02:36And that's why the slogan of breaking is peace and love.
02:39That's something I love.''
02:42So how could Morocco, a Muslim country steeped in very different traditions and cultural
02:47values, be at the forefront of promoting breaking?
02:51''Moroccan society did not accept it 28 years ago,'' Benani explained.
02:56''I was young and I'm a woman.
02:59Hip-hop culture, graffiti, rap, it's a man's culture.
03:01So it was very difficult.
03:04I had lots of rejection, I couldn't have any partners or sponsorship.
03:08The Ministry of Sport didn't care about it.
03:11So I'm not just proud.
03:12This is a war that I won.''