The Australian breakdancer whose unconventional moves baffled and delighted the internet at the Olympics has clapped back at her skeptics, bluntly stating they just don't get the essence of her "art".
Rachael Gunn, a 36-year-old academic by day, soared to social media fame as 'Raygun' with her out-of-the-box performance in the breaking event, a fresh addition to the Olympic line-up in Paris . While her peers received nods for their breathtaking moves, Rayguns quirky take saw her routine morph into instant meme fodder, most notably a segment where she squirmed on the floor.
After switching typical breakdancing attire for an Aussie tracksuit and cap, she drew some mockery but also scored a horde of new followers.
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"All my moves are original. Creativity is really important to me. I go out there and I show my artistry," Raygun defended her approach. "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. What I wanted to do was come out here and do something new and different and creative that's my strength, my creativity.
"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."
Raygun, who boasts a PhD in dance, gender politics, and the interplay between theory and practice, only started out in the sport in her 20s and expressed disappointment that breaking won't feature at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
"What is an Olympic sport? " Raygun questioned. "It's so broad here... what are the similarities between dressage and artistic swimming and the 100m sprint and the pentathlon.
"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."
Japan's Ami Yuasa clinched the gold medal, outperforming Lithuania's Dominika Banevic with a decisive 3-0 victory in the final. "I don't want my life to change," Ami confided to Olympics.com.
"I mean it in a good way, but I don't want to change much myself. I'm happy breaking will get more attention as a result but it's not all about the winners in this sport."
"It so happens that I won today when everyone showed what they were made of. Another day, another time, things could have turned out entirely differently. I couldn't be happier if people learn about the beauty of breaking and not only about the gold medal."
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