Breakdancer Ayumi Fukushima, 40, Eyes Olympic Gold

At age 40, Japanese competitive breakdancer Ayumi Fukushima has been busting moves for longer than some of her rivals have been alive.

But the former kindergarten teacher won a qualifier in Shanghai and is in pole position for a prized spot at the Paris Olympics.

A repeat performance in Budapest next month would send her to this summer's Games as one of the favorites for gold.

Breakdancing, or "breaking" as the sport is officially called, will make its Olympic debut in the French capital.

"I'm old but I don't feel too old," Fukushima said after her victory in China at the weekend.

Fukushima has long been a trailblazer for "B-girls" -- women breakdancers -- in what has traditionally been a male-dominated scene.

In 2017 she became the first woman to compete at the Red Bull BC One World Finals.

She has since won at the 2021 WDSF World Breaking Championship in Paris, where the competition was split into men and women categories.

She also took bronze at the 2022 World Games and 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

Fukushima first dabbled in breakdancing as a shy 21-year-old student.

"In my generation it was kind of normal to start when we're in university," she said in Shanghai, where she topped the B-girl competition.

"But these days most of the people start when they're kids."

Fukushima never thought she would have a chance to compete in the Olympics.

Given her age, it could be her first and last shot at it.

"It's a new thing for us, for the Olympics, so I'm really happy to be in this process," she said.

Japan has long been a breakdancing powerhouse, with three Japanese B-girls and one B-boy making it onto the podium in Shanghai.

On the sidelines of the Shanghai qualifier, dozens of children practiced breakdancing moves at a public workshop intended to popularize the sport.