Breaking made its first appearance on the Olympic stage, and Australian breaking girl Rachel Gunn drew criticism and ridicule for her performance at the Paris Games.
Gunn, also known as “Ray Gunn”, defended her dance moves. The 36-year-old tried to wow the crowd with moves such as the “kangaroo dance” but received a zero. But Gunn told ESPN she felt no resistance to the performance.
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The Raygun will compete in the Olympic Games in Paris on August 9, 2024. (Harry Langer/Defodi Images via Getty Images)
“I wasn’t going to beat them with power moves, which is what they do,” Gunn said of her peers. “What I bring to the table is creativity.”
Gunn said all of her moves were original and she tried to be as creative as possible.
“Creativity is really important to me. I go out and show my artistry, and sometimes it shows up to the judges, sometimes it doesn’t. I do what I want to do, and that’s what expresses art. That’s what I do,” Gunn added.
Breaking itself is a unique event in the Olympics, as competitors are judged on their combination of different dance moves while a DJ plays music.
Australia’s Rachel Gunn competes in the breaking event at La Concorde Urban Park during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris on August 9. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin)
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Breaking competition judge Martin Gillian also defended Gunn.
“Breaking is all about originality, bringing something new and representing your country or region,” he said. “And that’s exactly what Raegan was doing. She was inspired by what was around her, in this case kangaroos.”
The association added that it had offered Gunn mental health support amid the ongoing criticism.
Australia’s Rachel Gunn competes in the breaking event at La Concorde Urban Park during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris on August 9. (AP Photo/Abby Parr)
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Japan’s Amy Yuasa won the gold medal, Lithuania’s Dominika Banević won the silver medal, and China’s Liu Qingyi won the bronze medal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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