Australia’s Rachael Gunn, known as B-Girl Raygun, competes during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition. (Picture Credit: AP)
During the breaking competition, which made its Olympics debut on Friday, Australian woman break dancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn made headlines for her unique routine.
The urban sport of breaking spun its way onto the Olympic stage on Friday (August 9) for the first and possibly last time, with Japan’s B-Girl Ami winning the inaugural women’s gold. Breaking, better known as breakdancing, made its debut amid the grand elegance of Paris’ Place de la Concorde, with 17 dancers known as B-Girls going head-to-head in a series of battles.
Ami, whose name is Ami Yuasa, beat Lithuania’s Dominika “Nicka” Banevic in the final, with China’s Liu “671” Qingyi taking bronze.
During the breaking competition, Australian woman break dancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn made headlines for her unique routine. Her breaking performance and moves unleashed a string of social media memes.
People were quick to mock Raygun Gunn with one tweeting: “I feel like Raygun… may have done better if Australia hadn’t insisted she dress like a tennis line judge.
I feel like Raygun, the 36 year old breakdancing professor, may have done better if Australia hadn’t insisted she dress like a tennis line judge.pic.twitter.com/bdk3GItziq— dan barker (@danbarker) August 9, 2024
Others took jabs at her routine, particularly her signature ‘kangaroo move’.
It’s surprising that Raygun from Australia is the top breaker. The kangaroo move —how did she make it this far?! #BreakingForGold She should’ve swapped the kangaroo for a banana to really stand out. What is this? Seriously, is breakdancing really an Olympic event? pic.twitter.com/9zKeyt1MQp— Bites Of Net (@BitesOfNet) August 9, 2024
There is no way I laugh harder for the rest of 2024 than after watching a 36 year old Australian college professor named Raygun “breakdance” against teenagers pic.twitter.com/OkN5OgqTNY— Your Best Friend’s Black Friend (@IAmStatMatt) August 9, 2024
The 36-year-old Gunn, who is a Sydney university lecturer, was also criticised by some for wearing her green-and-gold team uniform, shunning the urban streetwear preferred by others.
After being ridiculed on social media, Raygun has hit back at her critics.
“Looking forward to the same level of scrutiny on what the bboys wear tomorrow,” the Australian replied on Instagram late on Friday night in Paris.
“I was always going to be the underdog going in,” she told Australia’s Nine Network after her last Paris performance.
“I was never going to beat these B-girls at what they do, so I did what I do best, and I went out and showed myself, my creativity, my style, and a little bit of Australian character so that I could try and make my mark on this world stage.”
She was quoted as telling reporters it was a “matter of pride” for her to wear the Australian uniform.
(With inputs from AFP)
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