Who is Australia’s Raygun and why is she dancing at the Paris Olympics?
Australia’s breakdancer ‘Raygun’ has gone viral on Saturday morning after her incredible — or rather controversial — performance in the one and only Olympic sport of breaking.
Raygun seemingly turned back the clock to pull out some moves of yesteryear that included kangaroo hops and even ‘the sprinkler’.
Needless to say social media lit up after her performance … and the critics were harsh.
“In a field where the other competitors looked young and fresh, we were the daggy mum,” a News Corp journalist wrote.
“And yes, she did the sprinkler.”
Camera IconRachael Gunn, known as Raygun, is the first Australian to compete in Olympic breaking. Credit: AAP
Camera IconShe is destined to become a trivia question in the years to come. Credit: Getty Images
Raygun, naturally, bowed out without firing a shot but in many ways she accidentally stole the show in a sport that everyone knows should not have made its way to the Olympic stage.
But who is Raygun?
Raygun is actually Rachael Gunn, born in Hornsby, New South Wales.
She is a lecturer at Macquarie University with a PhD in cultural studies.
She works in the department of media, communications, and creative arts and, yes, she is 36 years old.
After the event she said she knew she couldn’t compete athletically with the tricks and spins and strength of other dancers so she tried to be more creative.
Gunn’s first battle was against American Logistx but the Australian was no match for her international rivals, unable to win a point in any three contests including against 16-year-old French B-girl Syssy.
“What I wanted to do was come out here and do something new and different and creative — that’s my strength, my creativity,” said Gunn.
“I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best, the dynamic and the power moves, so I wanted to move differently, be artistic and creative because how many chances do you get that in a lifetime to do that on an international stage.
“I was always the underdog and wanted to make my mark in a different way.”
Gunn was asked whether breaking deserved to be an Olympic sport but responded that it filled the criteria.
“What is an Olympic sport?” she said.
Camera IconThe 36-year-old knew she was unlikely to compete with her younger rivals Credit: Getty ImagesCamera IconShe wanted to show off her creative side. Credit: AAPCamera IconGunn is a university lecturer with a PhD in cultural studies. Credit: Getty Images
“It’s so broad here …what are the similarities between dressage and artistic swimming and the 100m sprint and the pentathlon.
“Breaking is clearly athletic and it clearly requires a whole level of dedication across a number of different aspects so I feel like it meets that criteria.
“And it’s really bringing a new level of excitement.”
Japanese b-girl Ami Yuasa won gold, topping all three rounds in a gold medal battle against Nicka (Dominika Banevic) from Lithuania.
The buzz was big around Place de la Concorde with superstar American rapper and Olympics aficionado Snoop Dogg taking to the stage to show off a few of his own moves before opening the event.
There was no doubt about the dynamic skills of the athletes, who are judged on creativity, personality, technique, variety, musicality and vocabulary, which is the variation and quantity of moves.
With two live DJs, competitors engaged in three judged battles, which involved two 60-second routines each, before the elimination round and then medals.
But with competition stretching five-and-a-half hours even Snoop, the unofficial Games mascot, had seen enough and made his departure midway through the competition.
While the athletes will compete for medals in Paris, the winners could become obscure trivia questions with Los Angeles not including it in the program in 2028 and Brisbane highly unlikely.
Australia’s 16-year-old B-boy Jeff Dunne, known as ‘J Attack’, will line up in the male competition on Saturday.
– With AAP
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