Raygun, whose real name is Rachel Gunn, became a sensation after her performance at the Olympic breakdancing competition, where she failed to earn a single point. Many people thought she was mocking the competition on purpose. However, three months later, she is gracing the cover of Stellar magazine.
In the magazine cover, Raygun is seen wearing a long light-blue dress with her hair slicked back into a braid. She is quoted saying, “You did not bring me down. You did not succeed. I still stand by what I did.” Despite the criticism, Raygun remains unapologetic about her performance.
Raygun mentioned that all her moves were original and that she aimed to showcase her creativity. She emphasized the importance of artistry in her performance, even if it did not resonate with the judges. After the Games, she admitted to feeling overmatched and doubted her chances of success.
Aside from being a breakdancer, Raygun is a university lecturer at Macquarie University with a Ph.D. in cultural studies. Dance is one of her research interests, reflecting her passion for the art form. She qualified for the Paris Olympics by winning the QMS Oceania Championships in Sydney and was recognized as the top-ranked b-girl by the Australian Breaking Association in 2020 and 2021.
In the Olympics, Raygun faced tough competition from Japan’s Amy Yuasa, who won the gold medal, Lithuania’s Dominika Banevic, who took silver, and China’s Liu Qingyi, who secured the bronze. Despite not winning a medal, Raygun’s journey from being considered a laughingstock to a magazine cover star is a testament to her resilience and dedication to her craft.
