World-leading position holds the zero-point dancing act, Raygun, in global rankings.
At the Olympic Games in Paris, 37-year-old artist Rachael "Raygun" Gunn encounters derision and ridicule after her unusual showcase at the Breaking debut. However, she later triumphs, securing the top position in the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) rankings. Officially, she can now consider herself the world's number one breaker.
Her performance at the Olympics sparked controversy and criticism online, but Gunn later exacts her retribution. The Australian leading the WDSF rankings holds the temporary title of the world's best breaker.
The ranking is determined by the four best results within the past 12 months. As the federation explained, the results from the Olympic qualifying competitions and the Olympics itself, where Gunn failed to impress the jury due to limited competitor quotas, were not included in the ranking. Moreover, "many athletes have only one competition result contributing to their ranking" as there were few ranked events between December 2023 and the Summer Games.
The Kangaroo's Leap and the Jury
Gunn clinched the Oceanic Continental Championship in this period, earning her 1,000 ranking points. Japanese B-Girl Riko also collected 1,000 points, following her victory at the Gold World Series in Hong Kong in December 2023. However, the WDSF regards Raygun's competition as carrying more weight. Gunn's tenure at the top of the world rankings is expected to be brief. The World Series resumes in Shanghai in October. Her points from the Continental Championship expire towards the end of the following month.
Following her Olympic performance, Gunn encountered vitriol. In a video on Instagram, she reported "extremely hurtful" reactions. "It's nice to have brought some happiness into your lives," Gunn said. "I didn't realize that it would also serve as an open door to so much anger." It was disheartening.
In her performance, Gunn rolled on the ground and hopped like a kangaroo. The jury penalized this with a zero score. The 37-year-old artist took this in her stride. "Every move I make is unique. Creativity matters greatly to me, so I always try to express my art," she said. "Sometimes it resonates with the jury, sometimes not. I do my thing and it's art. That's what it's all about."
Despite the controversy and criticism following her peculiar Olympic performance, Gunn's unique style and creativity continued to shine in other sports events. Despite the zero score she received for hopping like a kangaroo during her Olympic routine, she maintained her focus on expressing her art through her movements. She acknowledged, "Sports is not just about impressing the jury, it's about expressing oneself and embracing creativity."
