Aussie Olympic breakdancer ‘Raygun’ fires back at online critics
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Rachael “Raygun” Gunn of Australia performing at the breaking competition of the Paris Olympic Games on Aug 9.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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PARIS – An Australian woman breakdancer ridiculed on social media for her unique Paris Olympics routine has hit back at her critics.
Rachael “Raygun” Gunn’s breaking performance, featuring one move compared to a kangaroo hopping, lost all three of her matchups against rival dancers, or b-girls.
Her moves unleashed a string of social media memes and unfavourable comparisons, including one on X of cartoon character Homer Simpson rolling around the floor.
Gunn, a 36-year-old Sydney university lecturer, was also criticised by some for wearing her green-and-gold team uniform, shunning the urban streetwear favoured by others.
“The Aussie B-Girl Raygun dressed as a school PE teach complete with cap while everyone else is dressed in funky breaking outfits has sent me,” wrote X user @GeorgieHeath27.
“It looks like she’s giving her detention for inappropriate dress at school.”
“Looking forward to the same level of scrutiny on what the b-boys wear tomorrow,” the Australian replied on Instagram late in the night of Aug 9 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...
“I went out and I showed myself, my creativity, my style, 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.
One reporter and commentator in The Australian newspaper, Will Swanton, said people should “lay off” the athlete.
“She was cheerful, proud and actually cared enough about her country to wear the green and gold,” he wrote.
“Sure, the biggest thing she broke was the Internet. But there’s a lot worse performers at every sport at every Olympics,” he said.
“She spoke beautifully afterwards and anyone who knows her says she’s a lovely human.”
On her own Instagram account, Gunn posted: “Don’t be afraid to be different, go out there and represent yourself, you never know where that’s gonna take you.”
Japan’s Ami Yuasa blended artistry and athleticism to win a battle against Lithuania’s Dominika Banevic and dance her way to the first Olympic gold medal ever awarded for breaking.
Yuasa, known as B-Girl Ami, immediately broke out some impressive air flairs in the final and laid down a series of halos to seal the 3-0 win over B-Girl Nicka and bring the crowd at Place de la Concorde to their feet.
China’s Liu Qingyi, B-Girl 671, took bronze after overpowering the Netherlands’ India Sardjoe, B-Girl India, 2-1.
Said Yuasa: “The fact that breaking was added to the Olympic Games was a great thing because it allowed people to discover all the wonderful things about breaking.
“Everyone who competed today was able to communicate the wonderful aspects of breaking.”
Meanwhile, Afghan B-Girl Manizha Talash, a member of the Refugee Olympic team, was disqualified after displaying the words “Free Afghan Women” on her cape during her breaking routine.
Talash, who lives in Spain, wore a light blue cape that had the phrase written on it with large white letters during her pre-qualifier loss to Sardjoe.
Political slogans and statements are banned on the field of play and on podiums at the Olympics and breaking’s governing body later said the 21-year-old had been disqualified. AFP, REUTERS
