Featured Image Credit: WDSF Breaking for Gold
Topics: Olympics
Nasir Jabbar
Footage of Raygun's breakdance performance that secured her spot at the 2024 Olympics has gone viral.
Raygun - real name Rachael Gunn - became an overnight sensation for her routine at the Paris Games.
She hopped like a kangaroo and writhed around on the floor like a snake in a routine that didn't impress Olympic judges as the Australian received a score of zero in each of her three heats and was eliminated from the competition.
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Considering her underwhelming performance, fans and critics alike questioned her participation at the Olympics.
But the 36-year-old booked her spot in the competition after winning the 2023 Oceania Breaking Championships.
And her showing in the final that saw Raygun seal her spot to represent Team Australia has emerged and it makes for fascinating viewing.
The top judge for the Olympics, meanwhile, has defended her much-ridiculed routine.
Judge Martin Gilian - known as MGbility - explained: "I feel personally very sorry.
"The breaking and hip hop community definitely stands behind her. She was just trying to bring something new, something original and something that represents her country.
"We stay with her. We have five criteria in the comparative judging system. Just her level was maybe not as high as the other competitors.
"Again, we're using a comparative judging system. Her competitors were just better but it doesn't mean that she did really bad. She did her best."
MGbility felt that Raygun's routine reflected Australia as a nation.
"She was representing Australia and Oceania and did her best," the judge said.
"She won the Oceania qualifier officially. If some people are wondering how she got into the Olympic Games, she qualified from her region.
"Unfortunately for her, the other b-girls were better. That's why she didn't score any votes in her rounds.
"Breaking is all about originality and bringing something new to the table from your country or region and this is exactly what Raygun was doing.
"She got inspired by her surroundings, which in this case, for example, was you know - kangaroo. The animal.
"For breaking, when you look for innovations or originality, you always search outside of dancing. Martial arts, how the animals move, anything."