When Tiffany Leung is not working or throwing down footwork or acrobatic strikes in the lounge of her spacious condominium, she enjoys classic buying, artwork, trend and — snacking.
To her 2,300 Instagram followers and people closest to the Canadian breaker, or breakdancer, she’s often known as deepfriedtiff.
“I am identified to be gluttonous, particularly snacks,” the Toronto resident informed CBC Sports activities.
Leung is definitely pressured when balancing breaking with the calls for of her job in synthetic intelligence, so she typically de-stresses with a sugar craving.
“There are moments once I need short-term gratification,” stated Leung, who has labored 5 years for Deloitte, a administration marketing consultant firm in Toronto. “Generally I am ravenous at observe and want a sugar increase. I am by no means craving something wholesome or a meal, simply snacks and sugars.
“It is the toughest factor to repair for the Olympics.”
Leung has but to safe a spot for the 2024 Summer time Video games in Paris, the place breaking will make its debut with 16 ladies and 16 males competing. However she is on observe for one of many most two spots out there to Canadian ladies because the No. 1-ranked B-girl, or Break woman, within the nation.
Geoff Reyes, the president of Breaking Canada, which was established in 2021, believes the 27-year-old is “actually shut” to realizing her Olympic dream.
“She’s on the cusp of creating the highest 16,” he famous. “She’s been on the world stage earlier than. She was fifth on the World Video games final [July] in order that was enormous. If that is an indicator of what can occur on the Olympics, then she positively belongs there.”
In December 2020, Leung was at a crossroads in her athletic profession when breaking was formally added to the Olympics. She thought of focusing totally on her work, full with monetary stability and safety.
Worry of failure
Leung had related ideas shortly after beginning at Deloitte when she felt stretched working lengthy hours. The standard of her breaking practices suffered, and he or she typically arrived “mentally drained and unable to maneuver.”
Whereas recognizing she was in a position to characterize Canada within the Olympics, it is not a certain factor, and he or she was scared by the worry of failure.
“If I needed to make it occur,” recalled the previous aggressive gymnast, “I must critically restructure my life, be disciplined, prioritize breaking and attempt to discover a approach to handle Deloitte.”
Then, she stumbled upon the next quote: “Do not ask your self what you’d do for those who knew you would not fail. Ask your self, wouldn’t it be value doing, even for those who did fail.” She quickly selected breaking and understood the necessity to work by means of the discomforts, insecurities and fears after struggling a concussion whereas breaking that sidelined her for many of a two-year interval from July 2019 to August 2021.
“I used to be nearly able to let go [from breaking]. I did not wish to be accomplished, in my coronary heart,” remembered Leung, who began breaking in 2013 throughout her first yr at Queen’s College in Kingston, Ont. “I used to be extra scared and ignoring what I needed to do, deep down.”
Now, it is not nearly dancing. It is about my stamina, the standard of my motion, with the ability to do rounds [in competition]. — Tiffany Leung on bettering her consuming habits for an Olympic push
She is making a concerted effort to eat more healthy, buying path combine as a snack. Leung has additionally been exploring the best way to cook dinner for herself and be taught what makes her physique really feel finest when breaking. Just lately, she found sandwiches fuelled her vitality.
“I am actually targeted on what meals will gas my practices,” stated Leung, a 2022 Canadian champion. “[Before the Olympic announcement] I ate terribly and after observe I might eat terribly. I did not fear about it.
“Now, it is not nearly dancing. It is about my stamina, the standard of my motion, with the ability to do rounds [in competition] and get the suitable enter and output at observe.
“I really like breaking,” continued Leung, “however practising to go to the Olympics is a totally completely different beast than [doing it recreationally]. I am unable to wait to have the ability to transition to that as a result of I feel it will make my breaking higher when I haven’t got that intense strain to speed up my enchancment.
She added, “Making an attempt to be [more] disciplined for the Olympics has been a bit more durable as a result of I do like, exterior of labor, to not be so strict and disciplined with each hour I’ve.”
Busy competitors schedule
With meals considered one of her largest bills and the Olympics expensive, particularly for unsponsored athletes like Leung, she needs she saved more cash throughout her early years at Deloitte that might have allowed her to take a yr off to give attention to Olympic coaching.
Leung opened her 2023 schedule this weekend in Fukuoka Japan, the primary of 5 Breaking for Gold World Sequence occasions this yr at which breakers can amass Olympic qualifying factors. She misplaced to Sanja Jilwan Rasul (B-girl Jilou) in qualifying and did not advance to the spherical robin.
With a top-four end on the Could 27-28 Pan Am Championship in Chile, Leung would clinch a berth for the Pan Am Video games in November, an Olympic qualifier additionally in Chile.
Leung, who describes her breaking fashion as dynamic and playful, is concentrated on bettering her stamina this yr together with the standard of her actions. (Submitted by Geoff Reyes/Breaking Canada)
Leung, who shaped the Toronto-based all-female Kuru Crew in 2016, can be anticipated to compete at a pair of occasions within the metropolis in late April and June 3-4 in Montreal. The winners in every class on the Sept. 22-24 world championships in Belgium and Pan Ams qualify straight for the Olympics.
Reyes has been impressed with Leung’s capacity to execute.
“She good points extra confidence with every occasion. That alone is [valuable] coaching,” he stated. “We wish to get her to a spot the place she’s educated sufficient, assured and in a superb place in her development.”
Leung, who describes her breaking fashion as dynamic and playful, is concentrated on bettering her stamina together with the standard of her actions, freezes (place held with out motion on the finish of a spherical) and energy strikes (these counting on pace, momentum and acrobatic components).
“After I did two rounds towards three individuals on the World Video games [last year], despite the fact that I bought prime seed, my legs had been giving out,” she stated.
“I wish to share my fashion as a result of I do know nobody else dances the best way I do. In competitors, my strikes are unique and inventive. I’ve the physicality, type and high quality of motion to get an edge [on the competition].
“I am not going to interrupt to what strikes are fashionable,” Leung went on. “My method is to be free in my motion and magnificence, be true and genuine in my motion. That is how I wish to win.”