Olympic breakdancer Rachael Gunn from Australia was stealing the show at the 2024 Paris Summer Games with her wild moves, which have left the internet absolutely obsessed.
Gunn, a.k.a. Raygun, is a 36-year-old lecturer at Sydney's Macquarie University with a Ph.D. in dance, gender politics, and the dynamics between theoretical and practical methodologies.
The 2024 Paris Olympics marked the first time breaking—or b-boying, b-girling, or breakdancing—was introduced to the competition lineup.
There were two medal events: one for men, or "b-boys" and another for women, "b-girls," each with 16 competitors.
Gunn was Australia’s first Olympic qualifier for breaking after she won the QMS Oceania Championships in Sydney.
Although Gunn didn't score a single point or advance beyond the competition’s round-robin stage, she managed to make quite an indelible impression on the internet.
You can see why in the clips below.
Another widely circulated clip showed her channeling her inner Aussie by mimicking a kangaroo and crawling on her forearms after whipping them around in a blurred frenzy.
How is this humanly possible?
B-girl Ami Yuasa from Japan took home the inaugural gold medal.
Although Gunn may not have medaled at all in the competition, her bizarre moves still won her plenty of online buzz.
Many were here for Gunn's wildly interpretive breaking of dance.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach stated breaking was introduced at the 2024 Summer Games to generate more interest in the Olympics from younger viewers.
According to the Independent, Gunn said she tried to be “new, different and creative” since she couldn't compete athletically with her younger rivals.
She explained that all her moves were "original," and said of her performance that “Creativity is really important to me. I go out there and I show my artistry."
Gunn, who didn't start breaking until she was in her 20s, said of her moves:
“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."
“I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best, the dynamic and the power moves, so I wanted to move differently, be artistic and creative because how many chances do you get in a lifetime to do that on an international stage."
“I was always the underdog and wanted to make my mark in a different way.”
It was announced that breaking will not be a part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
IOC's sports director Kit McConnell stated:
"It's up to each local organizing committee to determine which [additional] sports to put forward that fit with their vision of the Games."
"Obviously, breaking fit very clearly with Paris' vision of a very youth-focused urban engagement."
However, the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), the sport's governing body, stated they were working toward ensuring breaking inclusion at the 2032 Brisbane Summer Olympics.
Gunn remains an advocate for its inclusion in future games.
“What is an Olympic sport? It’s so broad here... what are the similarities between dressage and artistic swimming and the 100m sprint and the pentathlon," she wondered.
“Breaking is clearly athletic and it clearly requires a whole level of dedication across a number of different aspects so I feel like it meets that criteria."
"And it’s really bringing a new level of excitement.”
Raygun's attention-grabbing grooves will always be a part of the Olympics' "new level of excitement" and will also be a winning achievement in our eyes.
