Say what now? Australian breakdancer Raygun ranked No.1 in the world
Social media users have reacted with shock after learning that the World DanceSport Federation has Raygun ranked as the best female breakdancer in the world.
Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn, aka B-Girl Raygun, continues to make headlines weeks after her, uhm, interesting performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 37-year-old became a household name after her kangaroo-hopping, floor-mopping moves left the internet in stitches. She didn't medal at the games after losing all three round-robin battles.
READ MORE HERE: Olympic spectators come down hard on Australian breakdancer
This week, the internet learned that Raygun is ranked No.1 in female breaking on the World DanceSport Federation's (WDSF) website. She outranked B-Girl Riko from Japan (No.2), B-Girl Stefani from Ukraine (No.3), and fellow Aussie B-Girl Holy Molly (No.4).
Social media users were quite surprised that Raygun topped the list.
"This is so disrespectful to all those breakdancers from NY (where it originated) who have put their hearts into keeping it alive. She made a mistake at the Olympics .. ok. But this is pushing it," one person wrote on Instagram.
Another user commented: "Who are the members of the breakdancing governing body? I have questions."
A third person wrote: "How is she ranked No. 1 but couldn't even make it to the medal round in the Olympics?"
for those who you haven’t seen it, here’s 2 minutes of the one and only Raygun breakdancing 💀 pic.twitter.com/bxQn9jTw0K
— ً (@tylerduran21) August 31, 2024
The World DanceSport Federation has released a statement clarifying how Raygun earned the ranking.
"We would like to take this opportunity to provide clarity on the ranking methodology and address the concerns raised. The WDSF Breaking World Ranking List is governed by the WDSF Breaking Rules and Regulations Manual (BRRM) and is updated based on each athlete’s top four performances within the past 12 months. Points earned in these competitions remain valid for 52 weeks from the date of the event," the WDSF said in a statement.
The Olympic Games in Paris and two other Olympic qualifiers did not contribute to the current ranking. This would explain why the three B-Girls who won gold, silver, and bronze at the Olympics do not feature.
Raygun's #1 ranking is based on the 1,000 points she earned after winning the 2023 WDSF Oceania Championships. The competition secured her a spot on the Australian Olympic team.
"Due to the unique circumstances regarding ranking events this year, it is not unusual in the period immediately following the Olympic Games for some athletes to be ranked according to a single event.”
Some social media users also questioned how Raygun outranked B-Girl Riko, who won the Breaking for Gold World Series in Hong Kong last year, which earned her 1,000 points as well.
"Despite earning the same points, B-Girl Raygun’s result from the Continental Championship takes precedence according to Article 5.1.1 of the BRRM, which explains her higher ranking compared to B-Girl Riko," the WDSF said.
Raygun will likely lose her ranking when her points expire in October.
MORE FROM EAST COAST RADIO
Despite the backlash over her Olympic appearance, Raygun says that her record speaks for itself, maintaining she is the best female breakdancer in Australia. She does, however, admit that she knew she didn't stand a chance at the Olympics.
"I knew my chances were slim. As soon as I qualified, I thought, 'Oh my gosh, what have I done?' Because 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 Waleed Aly in a recent interview.
Rachael has gained a massive following over the past few weeks and has even been spotted with high-profile figures. She took to Instagram to share images of herself hanging out with singer Boy George and billionaire Sir Richard Branson.
It's unclear if Rachael will participate in any further breakdancing competitions in 2024 but she certainly is having the time of her life.
Go, B-Girl!
HOW TO LISTEN TO EAST COAST RADIO
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the FM (frequency modulation) spectrum between 94 and 95 FM on your radio.
- Listen live to ECR by clicking here https://www.ecr.co.za/listen-live/ or download the ECR App (iOS/Android).
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the DStv audio bouquet, channel 836.
- Switch to the audio bouquet on your Openview decoder and browse to channel 606
- Listen to us on Amazon Alexa.
Follow us on social media:
Main image credit: Instagram/@raygun_aus