Jeff Dunne

Northern NSW high school student Jeff Dunne will be among the youngest athletes to represent Australia at the Paris Olympics, competing in a sport making its debut at the Games, Breaking.

Jeff, from Casuarina on the Tweed Coast, cemented his place in Paris when he won gold at the Oceania Breaking Championships at Sydney Town Hall in November 2023.

Competing as J Attack, Jeff prevailed over 37 other contenders from Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji and Australia.

“When I saw the scoreboard, I told myself I wouldn't cry, but then I saw my family and my friends soaked in tears, so I just had to let my emotions go," Jeff said.

"I know how much hard work and dedication I had to go through to make it to the Olympics."

Breaking is a style of dance which emerged from hip hop culture in the United States in the 1970s and is characterised by acrobatic movements, stylised footwork and the key role played by the DJ and the master of ceremonies during battles.

At Paris 2024, 16 B-Boys and 16 B-Girls will go face-to-face in solo battles. Athletes will use a combination of power moves as they adapt their moves and improvise to the beat of the DJ’s tracks in a bid to secure the judges’ votes.

Born in the Philippines and adopted by an Australian family as a baby, Jeff took part in his first breakdancing classes when he was just seven.

His mum Rhondda says Jeff tagged along when his sister was learning hip-hop.

"At first I thought it was it was just a whole heap of dudes throwing themselves on the ground trying to make themselves look good," Rhondda said.

"But he really took to it and loved it and over the years has just shown his dedication."

As a 15-year-old, Jeff was competing against much older, more experienced dancers and winning. He claimed his first Australian Youth Championship in 2019 and has since won titles all over the world, including in China, Taiwan, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, Holland and the US.

In 2022, he was ranked ninth in the world and finished inside the top 16 at the world under-18 championships.

In 2023, he became the first breaker to be awarded a Sport Australia Hall of Fame scholarship.

Jeff’s gruelling training regime, which includes strength training and relentlessly practising dance routines, will ramp up as he builds towards the Paris Olympics.

"He's going to be up against the world's best,” Rhondda said. “These guys are phenomenal.

"But Jeff wants to make the podium, so he is going to give it everything he can."

Jeff said he is “super stoked” to be competing at the Olympics.

"It's crazy that Breaking has taken off and has gone this far and the world actually now knows what Breaking is," he said.