Opinion: Breakdancing over squash, are you serious?

Cheerito, of Russia, competes during the Red Bull BC One Breakdancing World Final in Japan. Photo / Getty Images

I'm starting to wonder what squash has to do to be included in the Olympics.

Squash players and associations have lobbied for years to have their sport played at the Olympic Games, but every four years they seem to be ignored for something else - some more legitimate than others.

Squash's hopes of finally becoming an Olympic sport were crushed again when the four additional proposed sports for Paris 2024 were announced on Friday. Squash was overlooked in favour of breakdancing, climbing, skateboarding and surfing, pending final approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in December next year.

In my opinion, seeing breakdancing make the cut is a real slap in the face for squash fans.

Organisers said the breakdancing would bring a more urban and artistic vibe to the Games and appeal to the younger generation.

I'm sorry, but this is the Olympics, not an urban art festival. It's like saying 'Let's tear down the Mona Lisa and put up some finger paintings to appeal to the children'.

I am not arguing whether breakdancing is a sport. It requires insane athletic ability and if ballroom dancing and rhythmic gymnastics are sports, so is breakdancing. But, in my opinion, it is not an Olympic sport.

Squash has featured regularly at multi-sport events such as the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games since 1998. It has also been regularly included at the Pan American Games since 1995. It works.

I think part of the draw of the Olympic Games is most of the traditional events are sports many of us have tried ourselves. You watch Usain Bolt run 100m in less than 10 seconds and you have your own, tangible experiences to relate it to and know just how incredible it is.

Squash is massively popular at social and business house levels all over the world. It is not hard to have an appreciation for the skill and fitness levels required. Breakdancing is impressive, no doubt, but to me it is more of a performance than a sport.

Kiwi squash star Paul Coll took to Twitter to express his dismay at squash missing out on another Olympic Games. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwi squash star Paul Coll took to Twitter to vent his frustration, and I don't blame him. "Woke up to this news at 6am. It's now 8:14am. And still can't process what the f$&@ is going on!? #help", his tweet said.

Imagine his frustration. Nearing the peak of his career, he has watched his sport come narrowly close to inclusion year after year, but never make the final cut. At 26 years old, the 2024 Olympics would have been a real target for Coll.

I'll be crossing my fingers that those involved in organising the 2028 Olympics see the light.

Make cross country great again

As a sports reporter in Rotorua, it does not take long to figure out that mountain biking is a real staple of the local sports diet.

With downhill and enduro-style racing becoming more and more popular, most riders agree that cross country has been on the decline for the past half a decade. But, that is changing.

Riders take off at the start of the XCO Republic mountain bike event. Photo / Stephen Parker

Tim Farmer and the team at Nduro Events held the inaugural XCO Republic on Sunday, a cross country event for all ages, the proceeds of which are being donated to assist under-19 riders selected to represent New Zealand at the UCI World Mountain Bike Championships this year.

The motto for the event was "make cross country great again", and by all accounts it was a success.

As a spectator, I thought it was great. With other races, such as enduro, the riders disappear into the forest and you don't really know what's happening. Downhill is full of speed and big air, but you don't really know who's winning.

On Sunday, riders completed multiple laps of the same course, so as a spectator you could see who was leading, who was chasing them and when their positions changed.

I would not be surprised to see a bigger crowd at the next one.