- Breaking made Olympic debut in Paris
- Got kicked out of LA and there’s no guarantee he’ll return to Brisbane
- Raygun and international dancers made a final stand
Raygun may have been the big news for all the wrong reasons at the Paris Olympics, but the Australian breakdancer and international dancers literally stole the show at the closing ceremony at the Stade de France.
The Australian, whose real name is Rachael Gunn, is a university lecturer in Sydney. She majored in breakdancing culture before making waves in Paris when breakdancing was first added to the Olympics.
However, her unusual routine, which included kangaroo jumps and wearing an Australian-themed tracksuit, fell flat, with her scoring zero points in three bouts at Place de La Concorde.
However, it did ensure that Raygun’s name was cemented in Olympic folklore, as an icon for the Australian team and a symbol of the Australian ‘have-a-go’ mentality.
Despite the ongoing attacks on social media, Raygun was welcomed as a hero in the Olympic Village. And when it was time to march to the Stade de France for the closing ceremony, it was the reviled breakdancer who was the centre of attention.
Not four-time gold medalist Kaylee McKeown, not the history-making Fox sisters and not Saya Sakakibara who brought Australia to tears by winning gold ahead of her brother in BMX.
No, it was Raygun who was hoisted onto the shoulders of rower Angus Widdicombe and cheered wildly by the entire Australian team.
Raygun was the star of the show for the Aussies as they prepared for the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics
Raygun had become a viral hit for her routine in the breaking competition at the Games that earned her zero points
Raygun imitated the kangaroo jump and then set up a new routine, much to the delight of the athletes. The Australian diver also posted footage and said: ‘Put them in the Louvre’.
Australian cyclist Lauretta Hanson called it iconic. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Raygun for his crack.
Raygun wasn’t the only one who gathered fellow athletes around him.
The sport has been removed from the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and it is not yet certain whether it will take place in Brisbane in 2032 or later.
Knowing this would be their last chance to showcase their skills on the world stage, the Olympic breakdancers staged their own revolution during the closing ceremony.
The footage from the stands showed athletes forming a circle around the breakdancers. The breakdancers energetically spun on their backs, while the athletes ignored the official rules and formed a circle around them to cheer them on.
Spectators thought the breakdancers stole the show during the closing ceremony speeches.
Breakdancers broke ranks to perform in an unscheduled manner during the closing ceremony, much to the delight of the athletes
One viewer wrote: ‘I remember it being when there were speeches.’
Another said: ‘When breakdancing athletes do a counter show at the closing ceremony.’
A third noted: ‘There was more breakdancing during the closing ceremony than during the breakdancing event itself.’
A fourth declared: ‘The breakdancing during the closing ceremony is 10x better than the actual Olympic competition!’
Another viewer added: ‘I was so hoping someone would start breakdancing in the middle of the ceremony and they did. Great to see.’
The sport remains hopeful of a return to Brisbane in 2032. Breaking Federation president Shawn Tay said participating in the Olympics had had a huge positive impact on the sport and they aim to capitalise on that growth.
“We were warned from the beginning that some of the best breakers might not participate,” Tay said.
‘But now we’ve got them all in — we’ve got all the best breakers. Now they’re fighting for the glory of their country — it’s something completely different.
“And that has driven them to improve tremendously and work hard in a more scientific way.”