After Scoring Zero At Paris Olympics, Breaker Raygun Is Ranked No. 1 In World By Sport’s Governing Body

Australian breaker Rachel Gunn, who became widely known as Raygun after going viral for her performance at the Paris Olympic Games, has now become the world’s No. 1 breaker. 

The 37-year-old Olympian took the top spot in the latest women’s rankings released by the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), the governing body of breaking and other dance sports. 

In August, videos of Raygun’s unusal dancing were posted online, and many poked fun at her for failing to score any points in her Olympic battles against breakers from the United States, France and Lithuania—she lost 18-0 in all three rounds. 

While her luck may have run short at the Paris Games, she won the gold medal at the WDSF Oceania Championships in 2023, earning her 1,000 ranking points. The victory bumped her to No. 1, leveling her points out with world No. 2 B-Girl Riko of Japan. 

The WDSF released a statement to address concerns about the results. According to the statement, both athletes scored 1000 points in their events. Raygun took first place at the Oceania Championships, and Riko placed first at the Breaking for Gold World Series in Hong Kong last December.

According to the federation, Raygun was ranked first because her results from the Continental Championship took precedence in the Breaking Rules & Regulations Manual. 

“In the event of a tie in points, the ranking is resolved based on the level of competition in which the athlete participated,” the WDSF explained. 

Raygun gained the international spotlight for her unique routine at the Olympics. The breaker, dressed in a green and yellow tracksuit, displayed various untraditional moves, including lying and crawling on the floor. 

The dancer drew harsh criticism for her performance from social media users and even celebrities. 

At her concert in Munich, singer Adele stopped her performance at one point to ask whether or not the routine was a “joke.” 

In light of the backlash surrounding Gunn’s routine, the Olympian recently apologized to the breaking community for the negativity the sport faced. 

In an Instagram post, Gunn claimed she was unaware that her performance would “open the door to so much hate, which has been pretty devastating.” She said, “While I went out there and had fun, I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off, preparing for the Olympics, and I gave my all truly.”