Rachael Gunn has solidified her status as the leading female breakdancer in the world, despite a contentious Olympic performance that resulted in a score of zero for Team Australia. This polarizing event has sparked widespread debate online.
In response to inquiries regarding its rankings, the governing body of the sport has released a statement aimed at clarifying its evaluation process. Each athlete’s ranking is based on their top four performances over the past 12 months, notably excluding Olympic events and qualifiers.
Performing under the name Raygun, the 37-year-old has vigorously defended her title as Australia’s top B-girl amidst scrutiny of her qualifications. Unfortunately, Gunn failed to score any points in her three competition rounds in Paris, showcasing an unconventional routine that featured unique moves like the sprinkler and the kangaroo hop.
Gunn addressed her controversial performance in a recent interview, stating, “The record is there. But anything can happen in a battle.” The World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) has faced significant public criticism, not only regarding its ranking methodology but also concerning its overall credibility in representing the sport.
In its latest statement, the WDSF directly tackled the criticisms regarding ranking transparency. The federation noted that “ranking events” were held exclusively before the Olympics, designed to allow athletes to concentrate solely on the Games. This created “unique circumstances,” leading to some competitors being ranked based on a single event.
The WDSF emphasized that current world rankings should be viewed alongside results from recent global breaking competitions for a more comprehensive understanding of the competitive landscape.
The fallout from Gunn’s performance has divided opinions within the breakdancing community, with some backing the athlete while others accuse her of undermining the sport. This incident has also led to broader questions about the inclusion of breakdancing in the Olympics, especially given its spontaneous nature that may clash with the structured competition format.
Zack Slusser, the vice-president of Breaking for Gold USA, criticized the WDSF’s impact on the breaking community, asserting that it has not effectively organized events that would yield meaningful world rankings. He further claimed that breakers participated in WDSF-organized events solely to accumulate points for Olympic qualification and expressed doubts about their interest in future participation after Paris.
