Aussie sports commissioner calls Olympics performance “disrespectful”

Australia's Rachael Gunn (AKA Raygun) captivated Olympics fans all around the world with her break dance routine in Paris this week. Not everyone was amused by the performance though. One of Australia’s top sporting officials has lashed out at Raygun for disrespecting the games.  

Aussie b-girl goes viral

Breakdancing, referred to as “breaking”, was introduced to the Olympics for the very first time this year. Australia sent two athletes to compete in the competition. Neither medaled, but one still managed to make headlines around the world.  
 
36-year-old Macquarie University lecturer Rachael Gunn, known as “Raygun” for breaking competitions, became one of the meme’s of the Olympics after her bewildering dance routine went viral over the weekend.  
 
Gunn lost all three of her round-robin battles against competitors from the USA, France, and Lithuania. She failed to score a single point.  
 
Her entire performance, green jumpsuit, bizarre signature kangaroo dance move led the Aussie to go viral. Memes about “Raygun” were viewed millions of times and racked up hundreds of thousands of likes on social media.  
 
As bad as the performance was, Raygun’s show is probably going to be one of the lasting memories from the Paris 2024 Olympics for many people.  

“Disrespectful” 

One person who did not enjoy Raygun’s performance was UNSW professor Megan Davis. The international human rights expert called the spectacle “disrespectful to other competitors.” 
 
Davis, who is also vice chancellor of the University of New South Wales and commissioner on the Australian Rugby League Commission, said Raygun’s Paris trip was a “subsidised academic study” and not a genuine attempt at sport.  
 
“Getting zero points on purpose in three rounds for an academic study subsidised by the taxpayer both at a university and Olympic level isn’t funny,” Davis said, “I’m glad most Aussies aren’t buying the Kool-Aid.” 

Breaking community defends Raygun 

Davis’ scathing comments were not met with much support from the breaking community and Australia as a whole.  
 
Breaking head judge Martin Gilian said after the Olympics closing ceremony that Raygun’s performance wasn’t terrible.  
 
“Breaking is all about originality and bringing something new to the table and representing your country or region,” Gilian said, “This is exactly what Raygun was doing. She got inspired by her surroundings, which in this case, for example, was a kangaroo.” 
 
Gilian explained that Raygun’s performance wasn’t great, but “that doesn’t mean that she did really bad. She did her best. She won the Oceania qualifier. Unfortunately for her, the other B-girls were better.” 
 
The breaking official stood strong, saying that the breaking community “definitely stands behind” Raygun.

Breaking will not be an event at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. We don’t know yet whether it will be a part of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. After Raygun’s poor showing, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Australian Olympic Committee passes on bringing breaking back in 2032.