Rachael Gunn Remains Top B-Girl Amid Olympic Controversy

Rachael Gunn known as Raygun in the breakdancing world, remains the top-ranked female B-girl globally despite her controversial Olympic performance, which earned her a score of zero and sparked widespread debate. The World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), the sport’s governing body responded to the backlash by clarifying its ranking methodology.

The WDSF explained that they based rankings on each athlete’s top four performances over the past 12 months excluding Olympic events and qualifiers. Rachael Gunn, a 37-year-old university lecturer defended her status as Australia’s leading breakdancer following her performance at the Paris Olympics where she failed to score in all three rounds.

Her routine, featuring unconventional moves like the sprinkler and kangaroo hop, divided opinions. In an interview, Gunn highlighted the unpredictability of battles and affirmed her strong record despite the controversy. The WDSF has faced criticism regarding its credibility and transparency. In response, it detailed that it had not held ranking events between the end of 2023 and the Olympics to allow athletes to focus solely on the Games.

This decision led to some athletes being ranked based on limited events. The WDSF attributed Gunn’s current top ranking to her first-place finish at the Oceania continental championships in October 2023. The debate over Gunn’s performance has polarized the breakdancing community. Supporters stand by her, while others accuse her of undermining the sport.

The controversy has also questioned breakdancing’s inclusion in the Olympics, given its organic and unstructured nature. Zack Slusser from Breaking for Gold USA criticized the WDSF for its ranking and event handling, suggesting that the organization lacked merit within the breakdancing community and failed to establish a robust ranking system.