B-Girl Raygun didn’t seem to mind becoming an internet meme after her breakdancing routine went viral. But Anna Meares, Australia’s chef de mission at the Olympics, certainly did.
“I love Rachael, and I think that what has occurred on social media with trolls and keyboard warriors, and taking those comments and giving them airtime, has been really disappointing,” Meares told reporters Saturday. “Raygun is an absolutely loved member of this Olympic team. She has represented the Olympic team, the Olympic spirit with great enthusiasm. And I absolutely love her courage.
She has a Ph.D. in cultural studies and her LinkedIn page says she is “interested in the cultural politics of breaking.”DJ puts end to heated Olympic volleyball spat, sparks sing-along with John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’Her routine, though, shot across the internet, particularly a move called “the kangaroo” in which Gunn laid on her side, reached for her toes and flipped over.
“All my moves are original,” Gunn told reporters. “Creativity is really important to me. I go out there, and I show my artistry. Sometimes it speaks to the judges, and sometimes it doesn’t. I do my thing, and it represents art. That is what it’s all about.” Gunn added that she was “never going to beat these girls” on more conventional moves, so wanted to try something different.“Looking forward to the same level of scrutiny on what the b-boys wear tomorrow,” Gunn wrote on Instagram on Friday.“In 2008, she was locked in a room crying being involved in a male-dominated sport as the only woman, and it took great courage for her to continue on and fight for her opportunity to participate in a sport that she loved,” Meares said.
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