Kickoff (Cape Town)
19 November 2008
South African Chris Njokwana has finished in 5th place in the World Red Bull Street Style 2008 Finals in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Njokwana reached the top eight but narrowly lost out to Hungary's Roland Karaszi despite pulling out his best tricks.
Frenchman Arnaud 'Séan' Garnier was crowned world freestyle soccer champion at the Finals, beating off participants from 44 countries in head-to-head 'dance-off'-style battles.
Séan thrilled the crowd by mixing his skilful ball tricks with breakdance moves to beat Japan's Yokota in the Final, clinching the title with an unexpected trick which wowed the judges: He stuck a pen on his teeth, then rolled the ball for several seconds on the pen's tip. The Frenchman edged Brazilian Murilo Pitol in the semifinals.
A star-studded panel of judges chose each battle's winner. Dutch football star and freestyle icon Edgar Davids was joined by 1994 World Cup champion Bebeto and 2008 World Futsal Player of the Year Falcão, plus legendary New York breakdancer Crazy Legs. A fifth vote came electronically from the 28 players who didn't make the world final's top 16.
"It was tough voting for a Frenchman against a Brazilian, but Séan was simply sensational," Bebeto admits.
Njokwana, from Langa, Cape Town, first came to light on a KICK OFF television advertisement when he famously juggled a ball up and down stairs while carrying a glass full of milk.
He qualified for the Street Ball finals in Brazil by winning Red Bull's South African qualifying tournament.
"I'm just so happy to have been part of this competition. The vibe was good, the people were good and being in the presence of these football greats is just the amazing. This has been the best experience of my life." Njokwana says.
The next Red Bull Street Style World Final is scheduled for 2010 in South Africa.
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