Rachael Gunn, known as "Raygun" in the breaking community, has retained her world number one ranking in breakdancing, despite the controversy surrounding her Olympic performance. The World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) has confirmed Gunn's position atop the international rankings, offering an explanation for their calculation method.
The WDSF clarified that ranking points are based on athletes' top four performances over the past 12 months. Notably, the Olympic Games and two qualifying events were excluded from these calculations due to "limited-athlete quotas." This decision aims to provide a more comprehensive view of competitors' performances throughout the year.
Gunn's rise to the top spot came after scoring 1,000 points in the WDSF Oceania Championship in October 2023. However, her reign as world number one is expected to be short-lived, as she will likely drop from the current rankings by the end of October 2024.
Despite her maintained ranking, Gunn has hinted at stepping away from competition for a while. In a recent television interview, she expressed her desire to avoid the spotlight, stating, "I don't think I'll be competing for a while. Not wanting to be in the spotlight, breaking, competing. You know, it was my medicine and then it turned into my source of stress."
The controversy surrounding Gunn's Olympic performance has reignited debates about breaking as an Olympic sport. Breaking, which originated in the 1970s in the Bronx, New York City, has come a long way since its inception. It was first introduced as a medal event at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires and was officially recognized as a DanceSport discipline by the WDSF in 2016.
While breaking has gained Olympic recognition, its inclusion has been controversial within the breaking community. The sport is not currently scheduled to be part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, reflecting ongoing discussions about its place in the Olympic program.
The WDSF's role in the breaking community has also come under scrutiny. Zack Slusser, vice president of Breaking for Gold USA, questioned the federation's standing, claiming that breakers primarily participated in WDSF events to gain Olympic qualification points and had "no incentive" to continue after the Paris Games.
As the breaking community grapples with these issues, it's worth noting that the sport has developed its own unique culture and vocabulary. Terms like "freeze," "power move," and "cypher" are integral to the breaking lexicon, and practitioners often prefer the terms "breaking" or "b-boying/b-girling" over the outdated "breakdancing."
Despite the controversy, breaking continues to thrive globally, with strong scenes in countries like South Korea, Japan, and France. As the sport evolves, it remains to be seen how it will balance its street culture roots with its newfound Olympic status.
"I don't think I'll be competing for a while. Not wanting to be in the spotlight, breaking, competing. You know, it was my medicine and then it turned into my source of stress."