Raygun — a breaker (aka breakdancer) who went viral on social media for her unique dance moves at the Paris 2024 Olympics, breaking’s debut as an event — has spoken out against her critics.
In an interview with ESPN published on Saturday, August 10, the 36-year-old Australian competitor (whose real name is Rachael Gunn) defended her unconventional dance moves that cost her three round-robin style battles on Friday, telling the newspaper that she did not she is bothered by ridicule on social networks.
“I never set out to beat these girls at what they do best — their powerful moves,” Raygun said of her three competitors: Team USA’s b-girl Logistx, 21, France’s Syssy, 16, and Lithuania’s Nicka, 17. “What I bring is creativity.”
B-Girl Raygun from Team Australia competes during the B-Girl Round Robin on August 9, 2024.
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Australian breakdancer Raygun took the internet by storm with his ‘kangaroo’ moves at the Paris Olympics
Many Olympic viewers on social media joked during Rayguna’s competitions on Friday that her moves looked “kangaroo” and resembled “what my nephew does after he tells us all ‘watch this'”. ”
“All my moves are original,” Raygun told ESPN. “Creativity is very important to me. I go out there and show my craft. Sometimes it tells the judges, sometimes it doesn’t. I do my thing, and that’s art. That’s what it’s all about.”
In addition, Australian chief of mission Anna Meares spoke out on Raygun’s behalf, calling some of the criticism she faced sexist for her work in such a “male-dominated sport”.
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“I love Rachael and I think what’s happened on social media with trolls and keyboard warriors and taking those comments and giving them air time is really disappointing,” Meares told ESPN on Saturday. “Raygun is an absolutely beloved member of this Olympic team. She represented the Olympic team, the Olympic spirit with great enthusiasm. And I absolutely love her courage. I love her character and I feel very disappointed for her to come under the attack that she has.”
According to her Olympic profile, Raygun is a university teacher in Sydney and was a jazz and ballroom dancer before taking up breaking in her 20s. She even studies breaking in her work as a professor – according to her bio page for Macquarie University, she studies “the cultural politics of breaking.”
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Raygun.
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“In 2008, she was locked in a room crying about being the only woman involved in a male-dominated sport, and it took a lot of courage to keep going and fight for the opportunity to participate in the sport she loved,” Meares added, according to ESPN. “That led her to win the Olympic qualifying event to be here in Paris. She’s the best breakdancer we have for Australia.”
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Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education