Breaking into the Olympics: Sunny Choi’s Unconventional Journey

Sunny Choi, a 35-year-old former corporate executive, is making her Olympic debut as a member of Team USA’s first-ever breaking team. But before she takes the stage in Paris, Choi is also making waves in the world of gaming as a digital avatar in a new Olympics-themed Roblox game.

In an exclusive interview with Mashable, Choi opened up about her journey from corporate America to the Olympics, and how she’s embracing her passion for breaking. "I knew of Roblox because my nieces play, but I had never played," Choi said. "My sister-in-law was saying that my nieces will probably be more excited about me being in Roblox than my being in the Olympics."

Choi’s signature move, which she calls the "Valdez-step-on-hand," is a one-handed back walkover that goes around in a circle. "It’s like a signature move, I don’t know that anyone else does anything quite like it," she explained.

Before pursuing breaking full-time, Choi worked as the director of global creative operations for skincare at Estée Lauder. She quit her job in January 2023 to focus on her passion, and it wasn’t an easy decision. "That life was actually really, really challenging, and I was lucky to be able to make that decision to jump into my passion and quit the corporate job," she said.

Choi’s experience has been a rollercoaster of emotions, with long hours and little downtime. "I don’t recommend trying to work full-time and pursuing another passion to that level," she warned. "It is possible, I think, to go ahead and work a full-time job, and then also be passionate about something. But I think pursuing it at an Olympic level is definitely going to be challenging."

Despite the challenges, Choi is excited to attend the Olympics and watch other sports. "We can apply to get tickets to watch other events, but I probably won’t know what my schedule looks like until I’m there," she said. "I’m all about women’s sports, so I’d love to watch the women’s rugby team and gymnastics."

As Choi prepares to take the stage in Paris, she’s also looking forward to sharing her experience with her nieces. "They’re gonna be so excited when they find out!" she exclaimed.