Technology puts Raygun at number one in the world breakdance rankings

Rachael Gunn is still the best female breakdancer in the world, despite a controversial Olympic performance for Team Australia that divided the internet and earned her a score of zero.

In response to questions about the rankings, the sports governing body issued a statement explaining the methodology to “address concerns” and “provide clarity”.

It was stated that each athlete would be judged on the basis of his or her best four performances in the previous 12 months and that Olympic events, including qualifying competitions, would be excluded.

Gunn, who plays Raygun, continues to defend her reputation as Australia’s best B-girl despite doubts about her credentials.

The 37-year-old university lecturer failed to score any points in any of her three rounds of competition in Paris, with a routine full of unorthodox moves such as the sprinkler and the kangaroo jump.

“The record is there. But in a fight anything can happen,” she said in her first conversation last week, when asked about her polarizing performance.

The World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) has also come under intense public scrutiny, not only for its rankings, but also for its “credibility” as a voice for the sport.

In Tuesday’s statement, the WDSF attempted to directly address criticism circulating online about the transparency of its rankings.

It was explained that there were deliberately no ‘ranking events’ held between the end of 2023 and the start of the Olympic Games, so that athletes could concentrate ‘exclusively’ on the Games.

And that this created a series of ‘unique circumstances’, resulting in some athletes being ranked on the basis of only a single event.

“The current world rankings should be interpreted in conjunction with the results of recent global competitions to gain a more accurate picture of the global competitive landscape,” the statement said.

The weeks-long saga over Raygun’s performance is divided opinion within the breakdance community, with some throwing their support behind the controversial athlete, while others have openly accused her of making a mockery of the sport.

It also raises questions about whether breaking, which was first performed in Paris but is not scheduled for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, should ever have been included in the Olympics. This is due to the organic nature of the genre, which does not necessarily lend itself to organized competition.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Zack Slusser, vice president of Breaking for Gold USA, stated that the WDSF had “no real value” to the breaking news community and that the organization had failed to produce events that “would contribute to the compilation of an accurate world ranking.”

According to him, the breakers only performed at WDSF-organized events to secure points for Olympic qualification and had “no reason” or “desire” to continue competing in WDSF events after Paris.