Australian Breakdancer ‘Raygun,’ Who Flubbed at Paris Olympics, Surprises Everyone by Being Named World’s No. 1

An Australian breakdancer, “Raygun,” who went viral for her bizarre Olympic debut at Paris that was awarded zero points, is now the no. 1-ranked women’s breaker in the world. “Raygun” is the moniker of a 37-year old professor, Rachael Gunn, who represented Australia in this year’s Olympic breaking competition. While Ms. Gunn’s quirky performance at the Games landed her last place in the competition, her strange moves — which included a kangaroo hop, backwards roll, and sprinkler shake — launched her to social media fame. Given her unsuccessful — though entertaining — Olympic performance, the news of her snagging the coveted top ranking raised some questions. So much so that the World DanceSport Federation released a statement on Tuesday to provide “clarity on the ranking methodology” and address recent “concerns raised.” According to the federation, the rankings are based on each athlete’s top four performances of the past 12 months, but do not include scores awarded during Olympic competition. Further, many competitions that supply points that count toward international rankings were not held this year to allow competitors to focus on preparing for the Olympics. “Due the unique circumstances regarding ranking events this year, it is not unusual in the period immediately following the Olympic Games for some athletes to be ranked according to a single event,” the federation noted. Ms. Gunn’s ranking was supported by the 1,000 points she won for placing first in the Oceania Continental Championships in October of last year. Given the limited number of breaking events held so far this year, the federation urged the public to interpret the rankings “in conjunction with results from recent global Breaking competitions for a more accurate reflection of the global competitive landscape,” at least until “ranking events recommence later this year.” Breaking, according to the Paris Olympics website, is an “urban dance style that originated in the United States in the 1970s” and “is characterized by acrobatic movements, stylised footwork, and the key role played by the DJ and the MC (master of ceremonies) during battles.” After the category landed a successful debut in the Summer Youth Olympic Games at Buenos Aires in 2018, breaking was added to the Paris Olympic program for the first time. The competition boasted 16 participants who were tasked with using a combination of “power moves” — including “windmills, the 6-step, and freezes — to adapt and improvise to the beat of the DJ’s tracks. Ms. Gunn, however, knew that she “was never going to beat these girls on what they do best — their power moves,” she told ESPN, noting, rather, “What I bring is creativity.”Despite the criticism for her unorthodox routine, Ms. Gunn stood behind her performance, calling her moves “original” and speaking to her “artistry.” “Sometimes it speaks to the judges, and sometimes it doesn’t,” she told ESPN after her performance. “I do my thing, and it represents art. That is what it is about.”

Australian Breakdancer ‘Raygun,’ Who Flubbed at Paris Olympics, Surprises Everyone by Being Named World’s No. 1

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