Paris 2024: Team Samsung Galaxy’s Sunny Choi, Karam Singh and Johanne Defay Reflect on Their Sports’ Epic Ascent to the Olympic Games

The Olympic Games Paris 2024 has made history, electrifying the City of Light and the rest of the world with thrilling competition. Captivating performances in the breaking, skateboarding and surfing competitions — three of the newest sports to be part of the Olympic Games — garnered a bustling community of supporters and championed a new era. Now, more than ever, the Olympic Games is pivoting to welcome new sports as the event seeks to connect with a new generation of athletes and fans.

 

To celebrate breaking’s debut at Paris 2024 and the second Olympic Games appearance of surfing and skateboarding, Samsung is embracing the close-knit communities of each sport and showcasing some of their biggest stars. Team Samsung Galaxy members Grace “Sunny” Choi (Breaking, USA), Johanne Defay (Surfing, France) and Karam Singh (Breaking, Great Britain) joined Samsung for Chat with Team Samsung Galaxy — an exclusive conversation in which they opened up about their sports’ recognition on a global stage and what this means to the communities standing behind them.

 

Samsung Newsroom joined fans and media at Olympic rendezvous @ Samsung | Champs-Elysees 125 on August 10 to hear more about the trailblazing athletes’ journey to the Olympic Games.

 

 

 

▲ (From left) Team Samsung Galaxy members Karam Singh, Johanne Defay and Sunny Choi connect with fans and media at Olympic rendezvous @ Samsung | Champs-Elysees 125.

 

Breaking, skateboarding and surfing — along with their communities — reflect Samsung’s campaign theme of “Open always wins” which centers around the core belief that anything is possible with an open mind. In line with this, Samsung developed a three-part docu-series focusing on the new Olympic Games sports.

 

Chat with Team Samsung Galaxy featured a screening of two of these films — “Breaking Boundaries,” developed in close collaboration with Pro Breaking Tour (PBT), and “Next Wave,” developed in close collaboration with World Surf League (WSL). In the videos, Team Samsung Galaxy athletes and industry legends share their perspectives on the new sports and celebrate their communities.

 

 

 

▲ Screening of the docu-series at Olympic rendezvous @ Samsung | Champs-Elysees 125

 

Moderator Saïd El Abadi, a journalist from French media outlet CNews, kickstarted the discussion by asking Singh about his community back in Derby, England, and what it meant to breakers there for the sport to be part of the Olympic Games. The breaker also discussed his own personal mission of supporting the next generation and helping them pursue their passions against all odds.

 

“Thanks to the Olympics, now your parents and grandparents will know what breaking is. It’s going to have a huge impact on the community and young kids out there who are striving for greatness,” he said. “Just remember, it’s all about the journey. No matter what life throws at you, stay open to the opportunities it brings.”

 

 

▲ Karam Singh of Team Great Britain

 

As Team France’s Olympic bronze medalist in surfing, Defay reflected on the importance of staying open-minded and embracing new experiences while recounting her experiences surfing in Teahupo’o, Tahiti.

 

“Paris 2024 has been such an amazing experience. Coming home with a bronze medal is just the cherry on top,” she said. “Surfing has taught me a lot of life lessons, and this was no exception. It’s so unpredictable, you never know what wave you’re going to get. You just have to keep an open mind and give it your all.”

 

▲ Johanne Defay of Team France

 

▲ (From left) Team Samsung Galaxy members Karam Singh, Johanne Defay and Sunny Choi answer questions from fans and media.

 

▲ (From left) Team Samsung Galaxy members Karam Singh, Johanne Defay and Sunny Choi discuss the road to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

 

 

After an engaging discussion with the Team Samsung Galaxy members, El Abadi opened up the floor to fans and media for a special Q&A segment. Choi reflected on the importance of representation in competition and how the definition of success is personal.

 

“This whole journey has taught me to redefine what success looks like. It has taught me to trust myself, to believe in myself and to love myself,” she said. “I’m so happy I got a chance to compete in these Olympic Games and hopefully inspire young girls out there. As a young girl, I didn’t necessarily have someone out there that looked like me. I hope this will show them that they too can go for it.”

 

▲ Sunny Choi of Team USA

 

▲ Sunny Choi reacts to questions from fans in the audience.

 

After the event, fans had a chance to meet and pose with their favorite athletes for some group photos to commemorate the inclusive community that championed the athletes in the first place.

 

 

 

▲ (From left) Team Samsung Galaxy members Johanne Defay, Sunny Choi and Karam Singh pose for their very own Victory Selfie* at Olympic rendezvous @ Samsung | Champs-Elysees 125.

 

For more information about the three-part docu-series, check out:

 

• Concrete Dreams
• Breaking Boundaries
• The Next Wave