Breaking group defends b-girl Raygun at Olympics

Australia’s Rachael Gunn, referred to as B-Lady Raygun, competes throughout the Spherical Robin Battle on the breaking competitors at La Concorde City Park on the 2024 Summer season Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photograph/Frank Franklin)

PARIS — The breaking group desires the world to provide b-girl Raygun a break because the Paris Olympics wrapped up.

The game made its Olympic debut in Paris — it’d by no means be again — and one of many lasting photos was the efficiency of an Australian b-girl referred to as Raygun who did a “kangaroo dance” and scored zero factors.

In a present of assist on Sunday, the top choose of the breaking competitors stated 36-year-old college professor Rachael Gunn was simply making an attempt to be unique. And the breaking federation says it has provided psychological well being assist within the wake of on-line criticism.

READ: Japan’s b-girl Ami wins Olympics’ first breaking gold medal

“Breaking is all about originality and bringing one thing new to the desk and representing your nation or area,” head choose Martin Gilian — referred to as MGbility — stated at a press convention. “That is precisely what Raygun was doing. She acquired impressed by her environment, which on this case, for instance, was a kangaroo.”

The breaking and hip-hop communities “positively stand behind her,” he added.

“Now we have 5 standards within the aggressive judging system and simply her degree was possibly not as excessive as the opposite rivals,” MGbility stated. “However once more, that doesn’t imply that she did actually unhealthy. She did her greatest. She received the Oceania qualifier. … Sadly for her, the opposite b-girls have been higher.”

Sergey Nifontov, common secretary of the World DanceSport Federation, stated they’ve been in direct contact with Gunn and Australian Olympic group officers

“We provided (the) assist of our safe-guarding officer. We’re privy to what has occurred, particularly on social media, and positively we should always put the security of the athlete, on this case, psychological security in first place,” he stated. “She has us as a federation supporting her.”

Breaking — recognized to many break dancing, a time period its performers dislike — just isn’t on this system for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

The following Summer season Video games after that will probably be in Brisbane, Australia.

READ: Breakdancing included in 2024 Paris Olympics to succeed in out to youth

“We consider that this has nothing to do with our possibilities for Brisbane 2032,” Nifontov stated when requested in regards to the criticism of Raygun and getting again into the Olympics.

Japan’s Ami Yuasa, recognized higher as b-girl Ami, received the gold medal and stated she wished Los Angeles organizers had waited to expertise the power between the athletes and the group at Place de la Concorde.

“I really feel so unhappy about it not occurring in Los Angeles, as a result of breaking was born within the USA,” she stated Sunday. “Breaking is not only a sport, it’s additionally expressing myself and artwork.”

Federation president Shawn Tay defended the evolution — from what began as an artwork type within the Seventies within the Bronx to an Olympic look. Critics have questioned the commercialization of the game.

“Proper from the start we have been warned that a few of the breakers — the highest breakers — could not participate,” he stated. “However now we’ve achieved to convey all of them in — we’ve all the most effective breakers. Now they’re preventing for the glory of their nation — it’s a very totally different factor. And that’s truly pushed them to enhance a lot, to work so exhausting in a extra scientific method.”