Rachael Gunn arrived in Paris as a competitive breaker, eager to make her Olympic debut. She leaves as an internet sensation, with millions watching her performances on social media.
Gunn, better known as B-girl Raygun or simply Raygun, is a 36-year-old university lecturer from Sydney, Australia. She balances her day job with her breakdance career, competing in competitions all over the world.
That recently led her to the Paris Olympics, where 32 participants, known as B-boys and B-girls, competed for the first time.
Australian Breaker Raygun Praised For Her ‘Courage’ And ‘Character’ After Viral Performances At The Paris Olympics
And on Saturday, Raygun, dressed in Australia’s green and gold tracksuit, demonstrated some of her moves in three round-robin battles: a kangaroo hop, a reverse roll, and other bodily contortions while lying or crawling on the floor.
She went down 18-0 to Logistx from the United States, Syssy from France, and Nicka from Lithuania. It’s safe to say that Raygun’s performances elicited some harsh criticism on the internet.
One user on X, now known as Twitter, described her routines as “hilariously ridiculous,” while another wondered how she had gotten this far. Even Adele paused her performance in Munich to wonder whether the whole event was a “joke,” adding that it was “the best thing that’s happened in the Olympics.”
But Raygun is entirely serious. She is a lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney, and her research interests include breaking street dance and hip-hop culture. Her PhD thesis focuses on the interaction between gender and Sydney’s breaking culture.
She represented Australia at the global championships in 2021 and 2022 before earning a spot in the Olympics through the Oceania championships last year.
“All my moves are original,” Raygun stated after competing in Paris. “For me, creativity is very important. I go out there and demonstrate my artistry. It speaks to the judges at times, but not always. I do my thing, which reflects art. That’s what it’s about.”
Many individuals have jumped to defend the Australians’ performances as distinctive and inventive, even though the judges did not always award them.
“It’s all about originality and bringing something new to the table while also representing your country or region,” said Martin Gilian, the Olympics’ main breaking judge, MGbility.
Her surroundings, including a kangaroo, influenced Raygun. She developed certain unique moves that may be amusing or interesting to others, but for us, she primarily symbolized breaking and hip hop. She tried to be unique and contribute something new to the table. From our perspective, there was nothing particularly startling.”
Sergey Nifontov, general secretary of the environment DanceSport Federation, expressed concern about the response on social media, saying, “That should not happen in our environment. Something is going the wrong way.”
Gunn began breaking competitively in her mid-20s after previously practicing ballroom, jazz, tap, and hip-hop. She competed against B-girls half her age in Paris, describing it as an “amazing experience” and “a privilege to get this opportunity.”
That was clear from her arrival at Sunday’s closing ceremony, where she got overwhelming support from teammates and supporters during an impromptu performance on the street.
“If you don’t know Rachael’s story, in 2008, she was locked in a room crying because she was the only woman participating in a male-dominated sport, and it took great courage for her to continue on and fight for her opportunity to participate in a sport she loved,” Anna Meares, a former professional cyclist and Australia’s chef de mission told reporters.
“That led to her winning the Olympic qualifying event, which allowed her to compete in Paris. She is Australia’s top female breakdancer. She has passionately represented the Olympic squad and the Olympic spirit, and I admire her boldness. I adore her character, and I am deeply disappointed for her that she has come under such criticism.”
Australian Breaker Raygun Praised For Her ‘Courage’ And ‘Character’ After Viral Performances At The Paris Olympics
It began as a means of artistic expression among Black and Latino teenagers and is now regarded as one of hip-hop’s foundational elements, alongside rapping, DJing, and graffiti.
While many consider breaking to be more of an artistic expression than a sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was looking for methods to draw younger audiences to the Games. Therefore, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing were included in the Olympic program.
However, breaking will not be featured at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, and it is unknown whether the discipline will ever return to future Olympics.
SOURCE | CNN
