𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗦 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: “Raygun bows out due to Olympics backlash” by Alyanna Latoreno Claveria

 

Published by: Lean Miguel Tizon

Date published: November 15, 2024

Time published: 9:47 AM

37-year-old Australian breaker Rachael “Raygun” Gunn ended her breakdancing career after declaring her retirement, preceding the backlash she received for her Paris Olympics performance.

Gunn drew unexpected global attention after having a combined score of 54-0, with her unconventional routine making its Olympic debut at the Place de la Concorde.

Some of her moves, like the kangaroo bounce and imitating a sprinkler, failed to win the judges' favor at the Olympics, and were later imitated on late-night talk shows, while even her green official team tracksuit was mercilessly parodied online, sparking conspiracies about how Gunn had paved her way onto the Australian Olympic team.

Despite the backlash, Gunn briefly topped the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF) rankings in September, earning the title of the number one women’s breakdancer after winning the Oceania Championship, one of the few events that contributed to the rankings ahead of the Olympics.

"I mean I still dance, and I still break. But, you know, that's like in my living room with my partner," she stated.

Raygun told Australian radio station 2DayFM that despite her still breaking, she would no longer compete.

REFERENCES:

[1] Reuters. (2024, November 😎. Australian breaker Raygun will no longer compete after Olympics backlash. GMA News Online. https://www.gmanetwork.com/.../australian-breaker.../story/

[2] Agence France-Presse. (2024, November 7). Raygun retires from breaking after “upsetting” Olympic backlash. ABS-CBN News. https://news.abs-cbn.com/.../raygun-retires-from-breaking...