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Last weekend, our Flemish bgirl Madmax won bronze at the WDSF European Championships in Sochi, Russia. Walloon bboys TiRock and Lucky secured 10th and 20th place, respectively. Flemish bgirl Camine, after a strong battle, finished 19th, narrowly missing the top 16. Both the first and second places in the bboys and bgirls categories were taken by the Russians themselves.

We asked our podium winner Madmax about her experience at the European Championship.
Congratulations, Maxime, what an achievement! How do you feel?
Tired, haha, from the long trip. On the way there, we had to take three different planes. First from Brussels to Amsterdam, from there to Moscow, and then on to Sochi. It was quite exhausting, but the long journey was more than worth it. I am extremely satisfied with my performance at the European Championships.

How did the preparations for the European Championships go, did you approach the training differently?
From the moment we knew I was selected for the European Championships, we started adjusting our training. We were already well-prepared, but my head coach Admir took it up a notch. We began a new collaboration with stand-up hip-hop dancer ‘Baloo The Cage,’ and together with the entire Olympic team, we ensured I had extra material and rounds to go as far as possible. We were in the training room almost non-stop every day. Additionally, I had weekly appointments with our physiotherapist, mental coach, and physical coach. I felt completely ready.

Finally, a big real-life event again. How did you experience the atmosphere and pressure at the event?
The atmosphere was very good among the Belgian breakers. The Walloon athletes had a lot of issues with their flights on the way there and back, but everything worked out in the end. Overall, there was a good vibe at the event. It was a small stage with a nice floor, and everyone was happy to finally see each other again since the corona lockdown. On the day of the competition, I felt that many people were experiencing pressure and stress because it was the first major important competition in a long time. Personally, I felt less of this stress. I felt well-prepared and had danced a lot during corona at small events. I felt confident and was ready ‘to show them the hard work.’

Will you approach the training differently after returning from Sochi?
We still need to discuss with the Olympic team how we will adjust the training. We will definitely keep what was positive, and head coach Admir will certainly integrate his experiences from this event into the new schedule. It was a positive experience to see the rounds of the other athletes and to experience the official judging system during the battles. I had already prepared many rounds for this European Championship, so we are on the right track. The next major competition we will be working towards is Outbreak on July 22 in Slovakia.