Australian Breaker Rachael Gunn, AKA B-Girl Raygun, Tops Global Rankings Despite Olympic Setbacks
Australian breaker Rachael Gunn, famously known as B-Girl Raygun, has been ranked the number 1 breaker in the world by the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), following her viral performance at the Paris Games.
From Olympic struggles to World No. 1
The 37-year-old secured the top spot in the latest women’s rankings released by the WDSF, the governing body for breaking and other dance sports. Despite failing to score any points in her Olympic battles against competitors from the United States, France, and Lithuania, and losing 18-0 in all three rounds, Raygun’s remarkable journey did not end there.
Gold at Oceania Championships
Raygun clinched the gold medal at the 2023 WDSF Oceania Championships, earning her 1,000 ranking points. This victory propelled her to the No. 1 position, tied on points with Japan’s B-Girl Riko, and ahead of the breakers who had bested her in Paris. Her triumph at the Oceania Championships also secured her a spot in the Paris Games.
Anomalies in the rankings
In a surprising twist, none of the Olympic B-Girl medalists are currently ranked inside the top 10. Japan’s Ami, Lithuania’s Nicka, and China’s 671, who took home gold, silver, and bronze, respectively, are absent from the top rankings.
The WDSF clarified on Tuesday that its rankings are based on each athlete’s top four performances within the past 12 months. Points from these competitions remain valid for 52 weeks. The rankings did not include points from the Olympic qualifying events in Shanghai and Budapest, nor the Paris Games themselves, due to limited athlete quotas.
Strategic scheduling for Olympic qualification
“In alignment with the Olympic Qualification System, ranking events were intentionally not held between 31 December 2023 and the Olympic Games Paris 2024. This strategic scheduling allowed athletes to focus solely on the last part of their Olympic qualification without the added pressure of additional ranking events,” the WDSF stated.
The current rankings, the WDSF added, should be viewed “in conjunction” with more recent results. The list will undergo changes as the next batch of 12-month points expire and the Breaking for Gold World Series takes place in Shanghai in October.
Raygun’s viral fame and controversy
Raygun became a viral sensation after her unique and unconventional routine at the Olympics captured global attention. Clad in the green and gold tracksuit of Australia, she showcased unorthodox moves like the kangaroo hop, backward roll, and various body contortions while lying or crawling on the floor.
Her performance drew mixed reactions online. One user on X, formerly known as Twitter, described her routines as “hilariously ridiculous,” while another questioned her qualifications. Even celebrities weighed in; singer Adele pondered whether the routine was a “joke,” and actress Rachel Dratch mimicked some of Raygun’s moves on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
Apology and Defense
Raygun, a university lecturer by day, recently apologized to the breaking community, expressing regret for the backlash her performance caused. However, she received support from within the sport. Martin Gilian, the chief breaking judge at the Olympics, also known as MGbility, defended her:
“It’s all about originality and it’s all about bringing something new to the table and representing your country or region,” he said. “She created some original moves which could be maybe funny or entertaining for others, but for us, she basically represented breaking and hip hop.”
Staying positive amid criticism
Raygun described the online criticism as “devastating” but has remained optimistic. “I knew that I was going to get beaten, and I knew that people were not going to understand my style and what I was going to do,” she told The Project. “The odds were against me, that’s for sure.”
“I would much rather focus on the positives out of this, and the positive responses and the joy that I brought people,” she added. “It’s going out there and just having fun and going as hard as you can in the face of, you know, losing.”
Breaking made its Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Games but will not be included in the Los Angeles 2028 Games.