Breaking was on the Olympic scene for the first time, and Australian b-girl Rachael Gunn drew criticism and ridicule for her performance at the Paris Games.
Gunn, also known as “Raygun,” defended her dance moves. The 36-year-old scored zero points as she tried to wow the audience with a “kangaroo dance,” among other moves. But Gunn told ESPN she has no qualms about the performance.
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“Raygun” is shown at the Olympic Games on Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris. (Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
“I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best: their power moves,” Gunn said of those competitors in her group. “What I bring is creativity.”
Gunn said all of her moves were original and that she was trying to be as creative as possible.
“Creativity is really important to me. I go out there and I show my artistry. Sometimes it speaks to the judges, and sometimes it doesn’t. I do my thing, and it represents art. That is what it is about,” Gunn added.
Breaking itself is unconventional for the Olympics. Performers were scored based on the various combinations of dance moves as a DJ plays music.
Australia’s Rachael Gunn competes in the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park during the Summer Olympics in Paris on Aug. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin)
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The head judge for the breaking competition, Martin Gilian, also defended Gunn.
“Breaking is all about originality and bringing something new to the table and representing your country or region,” he said. “This is exactly what Raygun was doing. She got inspired by her surroundings, which in this case, for example, was a kangaroo.”
The breaking federation added that it offered mental health support to Gunn amid the criticism.
Australia’s Rachael Gunn competes in the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park during the Summer Olympics in Paris on Aug. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
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Japan’s Amy Yuasa won gold, Lithuania’s Dominika Banevic won silver and China’s Liu Qingyi took home the bronze medal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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