Australian b-girl Rachel Gunn, higher generally known as “Raygun,” went viral in the course of the 2024 Paris Olympics for her distinctive dance strikes, whereas concurrently mystifying all the world as to how she made all of it the way in which to the video games. Now there’s a brand new twist to her story.
On Thursday the governing physique of worldwide breaking, the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) made the gorgeous announcement that Raygun was the No. 1 ranked girls’s breaker on the earth. This rank was earned even though none of the ladies who medaled in breaking in the course of the Paris video games made the top-10 of the rankings.
The curious rating comes as part of the WDSF’s system. It really works off a degree system spanning the final 12 months, wherein the 4 finest outcomes make up the rating. So, with Raygun keen the 2023 Oceania Championship she earned a large 1,000 factors in the direction of her world rank.
It will get much more weird, although. Not solely did this one end result massively tilt the world rankings, however WDSF mentioned that neither Olympic qualifying occasions nor the precise Paris video games counted in the direction of the world rankings, saying it was organized this fashion to make sure there was no distraction for breakers.
“In alignment with the Olympic Qualification System, rating occasions have been deliberately not held between 31 December 2023 and the Olympic Video games Paris 2024. This strategic scheduling allowed athletes to focus solely on the final a part of their Olympic qualification with out the added strain of further rating occasions.”
On paper this would possibly sounds positive, however once you suppose somewhat tougher, it’s exceptionally bizarre. Basically WDSF is saying that athletes might have been so preoccupied with worldwide breakdancing rankings that it’d throw off their preparation for THE OLYMPIC GAMES. There’s fairly actually no motive to not embody Olympic outcomes in the direction of the standings.
None of that is Raygun’s fault. Not too long ago she’s come beneath fireplace within the wake of the last-place Olympic end. The Australian dancer was the topic of claims she was unfairly chosen to characterize Australia, whereas others have been blissful to only make her a meme. Nevertheless, the top breaking choose on the Paris video games stays resolute in defending Raygun.
“It’s all about originality and it’s all about bringing one thing new to the desk and representing your nation or area,” mentioned Martin Gilian, the chief breaking choose on the Olympics, also referred to as MGbility.
Whereas the rating is gorgeous, Raygun earned it honest and sq. beneath the very weird guidelines behind world rank. All hail our dance queen.
